Hazmat Awareness

by Brad Banz

In our world, we are surrounded by chemicals. From the fuel we use to power our vehicles and cook our foods to the pesticides used to keep insects away from crops, chemicals are everywhere. Chemicals benefit all of us, unless they are used improperly or released from their containers when they shouldn’t be. That’s when they become hazardous materials. As first responders, all of us need to know how to recognize possible sources of hazardous materials and signs that a release has occurred.

I want to start by introducing some locations to be aware of that might have the presence of hazardous materials. As a first responder, it is important to be knowledgeable of your response area. If you are dispatched to a specific occupancy, you should have an idea they may have hazardous materials just by recognizing their name and address. Perhaps you may even know what types of materials are involved.  Chiefs and station officers, it’s your responsibility to preplan. Occupancies to watch for include factories, processing plants, warehouses, agriculture, transportation routes, and water treatment. These are not the only ones, but the most common. Sometimes potential hazardous materials at some of these occupancies may be identified by the type of manufacturing or processing they do. That’s why it’s important to preplan your area. Roads can even be preplanned by doing vehicle counts for container types and placard information at specific locations. Agriculture will have pesticides and herbicides, which are poisons. They will also have fertilizers and fuel. Water treatment facilities will have chlorine gas. 

Different kinds of vehicles may have different materials inside.

Sometimes large container shapes can help us determine what product type might be inside. At fixed facilities, there are several different types of tanks to be concerned about. A tank with rounded ends will contain liquified, compressed gas such as LPG. A spherical tank could contain the same products as well. Sloped roof tanks can contain liquids of any type. The occupancy type may help determine the type of product in the tank. Large, round tanks with a floating roof indicate petroleum storage. A cylindrical, vertical tank at a medical facility or manufacturing plant indicates a cryogenic such as oxygen or nitrogen.

Trailers with rounded ends indicate the presence of a liquified, compressed gas. An oblong-shaped trailer usually carries petrol, diesel, or jet fuel. Small diameter, tube shaped trailers with reinforcing rings and splash protection on top are indicators of an acid. Larger tanks with splash protection on top may contain combustible liquids, bases, toxic liquids, or waste material. 

Forms of non-bulk packaging you might see include drums, boxes, bags, carboys, bottles, and dewars. Drums can contain flammable, toxic, corrosive, and waste materials. Boxes can carry the same types of materials, as well as oxidizers, explosives, and radioactive materials. Bags will hold explosives, toxic materials, and fertilizers. Carboys and bottles can carry corrosives. Bottles will also hold toxic materials as well.  Dewars typically contain cryogenics. Labels and shipping papers are very important when attempting to identify contents in non-bulk packaging.

Senses are important in detecting a possible release. Hearing a boom, a hiss, or a loud roaring sound are all clues. Seeing sights such as a vapor cloud, liquid on the ground or water, dead fish, dead animals, or dead vegetation are indicators. If you smell a peculiar odor, it may be time to relocate.

I alluded to shipping papers and labeling earlier. Placarding and labeling on large and small containers are very important. They can have the 9 hazard classes, which can help guide you to initial actions.    Containers may have a 4-digit UN number. Shipping papers, such as manifests, are also very helpful because they will tell you exact product information. These can be found with a vehicle driver.

I would like to discuss the US DOT Guidebook briefly. The DOT Guidebook is a reference for first responders and is used as a guide for initial actions in a hazmat incident. It can be found in paperback form as well as online and in Google and iPhone apps. Products can be researched by container shape, hazard class, product name, or 4-digit UN number. Spill information, fire information, PPE information, first aid, and evacuation distances can all be found. The online address is: www.phmsa.gov/hazmat/training. The app for Android phones is in the Google Playstore-ERG for Android. The app for iPhone is in the iPhone App Store-ERG for iOS.

Finally, if you have identified a hazmat release, I want to share some initial response actions. Your responsibility as a first responder is not to mitigate the incident but to help keep the public safe. To keep the public safe, you must stay safe. If you are responding in an outside area, approach the scene from an uphill and upwind direction if possible. In a building, stay out of the suspected area. Your responsibility is to secure the area. In an outside area, set a perimeter. A good starting point is 100 meters, although common sense must be exercised to either increase or decrease the size as necessary. If you have access to the Emergency Response Guide, use it as a reference to establish your perimeter. In a building, isolate the room or floor as necessary.  Inside your perimeter, make sure that all occupants are evacuated. It is also your responsibility to notify additional resources to help with the incident.

This is a very quick size-up of what any first responder should expect when assessing for a possible hazmat release. If you suspect a possible release, always be cautious about your size up and response. Thank you and stay safe out there.

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Recently, Brad Banz led a virtual training session about Hazmat Awareness. If you would like to learn more about this topic, listen to the AFM virtual training session here. For additional virtual trainings, subscribe to our YouTube page and register for our virtual trainings today!

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Brad Banz has been involved in the fire service for 40 years, serving with the Colwich Fire Department as a volunteer from age 20, including a 10 year term as Chief. Brad Banz has served with AFM on several mission trips.

The After-Action Review

by Nicholas J. Higgins

The size-up is, for all intents and purposes, our game plan or battle plan against the structure we are working at. The size-up is where firefighters and fire officers gather information in order to make safe, efficient, and effective fire ground decisions. Fire ground decision making, as we know, is meant to be quick, with an emphasis on safety and ensuring the tactics are done efficiently and effectively.

One aspect we do not stress enough is the fact we do not take into account the culmination of the incident. After fire command is terminated and all units are back in quarters and in service, we must remember the pre-planning is not over just because we cleared the incident and everyone is back in the station and safe. This is where the add-value work is put into place and now it is time for the after-action review or post-incident size-up.

Firefighters review a building’s fire prevention equipment

After-Action Review

During the after-action review (AAR), firefighters and fire officers can discuss and share information obtained from the alarm and also discuss the success and failures they have experienced during the incident. This is a time to ask a few questions:

• What did we expect to happen?

• What actually occurred?

• What went well and why?

• What can we improve upon and how?

The benefit of asking these questions allow for strengths to be easily identifiable, making it easier to uncover areas of weakness. By uncovering areas of weakness, you can develop ways to improve them!

If you do not identify what went wrong, how could you ever expect to improve? On the contrary, if you do not understand what went right and why, duplicating that same success in the future will not be easy. Ensure necessary changes discussed in the AAR are implemented sooner than later, as the longer it is on hold, the likelihood of any changes being implemented diminishes. 

The size-up as a whole is a valuable step by step process for all firefighters to obtain knowledge of their response district, riding assignments, and strategy and tactic implementation. By beginning this process, formally or informally, it will allow for continual growth for each firefighter and fire officer. The key to success as an individual and team is to get ahead of the game and prevent ourselves from being reactive, rather proactive.

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

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Nicholas J. Higgins is a firefighter and district training officer for Piscataway Fire District #2 in Piscataway, New Jersey. He is a New Jersey State Level 2 Fire Instructor, a National Fallen Firefighters Foundation state advocate, and a member of the Board of Directors for the 5-Alarm Task Force—a 501 (c) (3), non-profit organization. Nick is also the founder and a contributor of The Firehouse Tribune website and has spoken at various fire departments and fire conferences nationwide. He is the author of both “The 5-Tool Firefighter,” a book that helps firefighters perform at their highest level and the companion book, “The 5-Tool Firefighter Tactical Workbook” along with being the host of “The 5-Tool Firefighter Podcast”.

Advocacy and Action After Disaster

by Mike Kull

If you've been in the Fire Service for long enough, your Fire Brigade has experienced an incident that overwhelmed your capabilities. It's happened to all of us. Despite our best efforts, we couldn’t perform at the level we wanted, or the level we were expected to perform at. It may have been a technical rescue that you didn't have the proper equipment to make the rescue, or it may have been a large fire that you couldn’t stop because you didn’t have enough fire engines, enough manpower, or enough water. The result after the incident may be the loss of life or a large value of property damage. So, what do we do now?

Fire Brigades everywhere are facing challenges with funding, equipment and manpower. Some places are much better off than others but there are very few places in the world where firefighters will tell you they have everything they need. A Fire Brigade must be prepared for every possible disaster or emergency that you could ever imagine. Accidents, vehicle crashes, fires, electrical emergencies, agricultural emergencies, industrial accidents, weather related emergencies, victims trapped or lost, water rescue -- the list goes on and on. It is almost impossible to have specialized equipment and training for absolutely every type of incident you may be called to. Again, we must ask ourselves, what do we do now?

One of the first things that we need to do is to take care of ourselves. The job of a firefighter is stressful and can be very detrimental to our mental health. We need to look after each other, we need to talk to someone if we are feeling depressed and we need to support each other in both our professional and personal lives. Make sure everyone is alright and staying healthy, both physically and mentally. Once we are sure everyone is alright, we need to make ourselves better.

Learning is a lifelong process. There will always be new skills and new knowledge to learn. Technology is always changing, and the world is always changing so there will always be something new that will help us to be better firefighters. There is a vast number of resources available to firefighters that have access to the internet. Simple internet searches will turn up large volumes of information on every topic imaginable. Read and learn as much as you can about the types of threats you will face. After an incident where you’ve faced something new or something you’ve never seen before, you need to research it. Learn as much as you can about it so that you are better prepared to handle it in the future. This makes for some great Company Level Drills during which you can share this knowledge with everyone in your Fire Brigade.

Finally, what can fire service leaders do after an incident that overwhelms your Fire Brigade. The first step is to ensure that you utilized all the resources that you had available. Ensure that you have mutual aid agreements with other resources in your area that may have equipment or resources that you may need. This could include other Fire Brigades, police agencies, military units or civilian resources with access to heavy machinery, water bowsers or other resources. Arrangements should be made to outline how to activate or call upon these resources and other details such as how billing or payments will be managed if necessary.

Once you have ensured that all local resources available have been accounted for, advocacy must begin. Many times, these types of incidents will be reported in the media and on social media. The Fire Brigade may be blamed for the outcome of the incident even if they have done everything to the best of their ability. It is critical to accurately document every shortcoming experienced. Did you have enough manpower? How many more were needed? Did you have enough of the proper equipment? What equipment do you need to change the outcome? Did you have enough resources such as water? What would have helped with a lack of water?  Everything must be documented, and that list of needs must be provided to the local authority having jurisdiction over the Fire Brigade. To supply you with the equipment you need, the local government must know exactly what your needs are, as well as having justification for the expense. Try to find reports or news stories about other similar events that had a better outcome due to the Fire Brigade having the resources it needs. Use these as an example of how your incident could have had a better outcome with the appropriate resources. Advocate for whatever your needs may be, whether it is more manpower, more fire engines, more fire hose, breathing apparatus, rescue tools or an adequate water supply. Make your list and prioritize it, starting with the needs that will have the biggest impact. Provide information about locally available resources that can be quickly acquired.  Give them as much information as possible so that they can make informed decisions and stress the need for a plan to reach full operational readiness.

Fire Brigades may face incidents that overwhelm their resources, leading to significant loss of life or property due to insufficient funding, equipment, or personnel. To mitigate these issues, it is essential for firefighters to prioritize their mental and physical health, pursue continuous training, and document deficiencies encountered during emergencies. Fire service leaders are encouraged to optimize local resource use and advocate for improvements by clearly communicating their needs to local authorities. By highlighting documented gaps and comparing them with better-resourced responses, they can underscore the necessity for adequate support to improve operational readiness for future incidents.

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Mike Kull is a retired Fire Chief from Central Pennsylvania. Mike has over 25 years of experience in the fire service and teaches firefighting in both the US and Africa. Mike now serves as Programs Director for Africa Fire Mission and as a firefighter at his local volunteer fire company.

Facing Electrical Issues

by Brad Banz

As firefighters, we respond to a wide variety of scenarios involving electrical hazards. Immediately, downed lines calls come to mind to most responders because of the obvious hazards they pose. In this article, I would like to discuss other types of incidents in which electrical hazards could be encountered and address our response as first responders.

Since I started the conversation by bringing up the topic of downed electrical lines, what should you do if you encounter such a situation? As in many other emergency situations, your job is to secure the area and keep people out. Electrical lines can carry many thousands of volts of electricity, with cross-country transmission lines carrying up to 345,000 volts. What does that mean to you? That means that you don't have to be in contact with the line for an electrical path to be established. Electricity from energized high voltage lines can jump several meters to things such as ladders if they are establishing a path to ground. The area around an energized downed line can also form a ground gradient, an area which is energized, and which will still be a shocking hazard.  That's why it's important to secure the area in between poles and keep all ladders a minimum of 3 meters away from energized lines. Treat all lines as energized. Also have the contact number available for your local electrical utility so they can be notified of the situation. If electrical lines are downed across vehicles, have the passengers jump to become free from the vehicle if they can do so. If they cannot, then make them stay in the vehicle until the electrical lines have been shut off by the electrical utility. 

Structure fires are another common instance when electricity can be an issue. While electrical service may not always be involved in the fire, regardless of cause, it's a good idea to secure electrical power to ensure that it doesn't become a hazard. Electrical power can usually be secured by turning it off at a circuit breaker if safe to do so. If electrical service is a major issue, the electrical utility must be notified so they can secure power outside the structure. The utility company should also be notified in areas such as informal settlements where illegal wiring arrangements are involved. The illegal wiring can be dangerous, especially with the iron sheet construction of many of these homes. Finally, one last consideration is hidden fire. If you have an electrical fire, or suspected electrical in wiring, open the wall up. 

Many machines, especially in industrial settings, use lots of electrical power. Many times, an electrical fire or smoldering electrical fire can be controlled by simply securing electrical power to the machine. Even if the machine has any fire involvement at all not involving the electrical systems, it's still good to secure power. If power cannot be secured, a powder extinguisher suitable for electrical fires should be used. One set of machines in which powder should not be used on are computers or other types of electronics. Many computer centers have their own halon extinguishing systems. CO2 extinguishers are the preferred agent for use on computers and electronics. 

While there are other electrical issues that you as a first responder may run across during your career, I tried to come up with the ones that you would be most likely to come across. I hope that everyone has gained something from this article. As always, stay safe out there.   

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Brad Banz has been involved in the fire

service for 40 years, serving with the Colwich

Fire Department as a volunteer from age 20,

including a 10 year term as Chief. Brad Banz

has served with AFM on several mission trips.

Water Rescue Safety Information

by Tyler Prater

Water rescue operations are a very dangerous, highly technical operation. With water covering over 70 percent of our world, as first responders we are bound to respond to a water emergency. One of the biggest hazards is flash flood and swiftwater emergencies. Swiftwater is described as water moving more than 1 nautical mile per hour (Knot). NFPA 1006 standards breaks swiftwater rescue into 3 parts.

1. Awareness, meaning that the responder is aware of the hazards but is not trained to mitigate.

2. Operations, meaning that responders can take a defensive role using throwbags or throwable flotation and have been trained in self rescue defensive swimming techniques.

3. Technician level training, meaning that the responder is equipped and properly trained to respond to in water emergencies using a “Go” rescue.

It's also important to note the water rescue order of operations. Remember the saying “Reach, Throw, Row, Go.”

Reach - To reach for the victim trapped in the water. Long Sticks, ladders, poles, or anything sturdy enough to reach into the water to get to the victim.

Throw - Throw a rope or a flotation device to your victim trapped in the water.

Row - Use a boat to row your way to the victim.

Go - The most dangerous and last resort in water rescue: to send a rescue swimmer into the water.

As in all rescue operations, PPE is an especially important factor for water rescue. Making sure anyone operating near the water knows how to swim and has proper flotation in place. If making a “Go’ rescue it is imperative that the PFD the rescuer is wearing has enough flotation for both the rescuer and the victim. When responding to emergencies in fire apparatus, remember that we are not invincible to the power of water. It only takes a few inches of water to float and move a vehicle. Turn around, don't drown. Flood water is also a known health hazard. As water floods a village or city it picks up all waste and hazardous materials and flows it across the city. If vehicles or sewage facilities are involved, fuels and biohazards could enter the water. Treat all flood water as hazardous water and make sure to thoroughly decontaminate your body and all equipment used in the water. Multiple bystanders die each year trying to rescue victims in flood water. Tying yourself to a rope that you cannot break free from is also another hazard that is commonly misunderstood. If a rope is tied around a rescuer and that rescuer gets hung up, or reaches the end of the rope the power of the current will push the rescuer under the water.

Understanding and treating water rescue events as a high hazard, low frequency event will make both the rescuer and victim safer in the long run. Public education of the hazards of flash flood and swiftwater hazards is also imperative to preventing water emergencies. Remember to follow your level of training. Rescuers must have the appropriate PPE and resources available to make an in water rescue. For more information on this topic and to learn more about training standards, reference NFPA 1006 - Professional qualifications of technical rescuers, or check out TDISDI.com / ERDI and search for swiftwater rescue.

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Tyler Prater is a 8 year member of the St. Louis Fire Department and currently serves as a rescue squad member. Tyler is also a water rescue specialist and instructor for Water and Dive Rescue.

The First Five Minutes

The First Five Minutes

by Mark van der Feyst

Every day in North America, fire departments are responding to structure fires that involve residential buildings. The bulk of the workload for the fire department will be the residential home as statistics show that every 86 seconds a fire department is responding to a residential fire. Once a fire department arrives on scene, they need to act quickly as the number one priority on the fire scene is life safety. This involves the occupants inside the residential building as well as the responding personnel. In 2014, there were 2,860 civilian fire deaths attributed to a structure fire.

The time a fire department’s first arriving officer and crew have to affectively size up situation and decide on what action to take in order to address the life safety priority is less than 2 minutes. Within that timeframe, many factors need to be considered, evaluated, processed and then decided upon based upon priorities. The first five minutes are crucial to any fire ground operation and sets the tone for the remainder of the call – it will either set the tone for a successful outcome or it will set the tone for a not so favourable outcome.

Studies have shown that fire grows at a rate that doubles in size every minute. Modern fuel loads and heat release rates add to the fire’s intensity. Every minute that we are indecisive on scene is another minute of rapid-fire growth. By using information gathered during pre-planning and from Dispatch updates, coupled with situational awareness and a strong size-up, the Incident Commander should be able to formulate tactical decisions that have positive influence on truck placement and task assignments taking into consideration manpower issues that face many smaller departments.

The First Five Minutes starts with how to correctly size-up an incident scene, and then how to get the information clearly and concisely to incoming units and Dispatch. As we all know, size up begins when the call comes in and ends when all are back at the station. How can we prepare ourselves ahead of time so that our size up will be streamlined and efficient when arriving? We can do this by sizing up our response districts during our down time or when we are driving around in our response areas. By observing the present clues that are in front of us on a daily basis, we can build a data bank within our minds of what we know exists within our boundaries.

One such area is knowing your response district and the types of residential buildings that comprise it. Knowing the common construction types, the common layouts, the average age of the homes and so on will help with creating different rescue profiles. By having these different profiles, the firefighter and company officer can gauge ahead of time what exactly they are dealing with and when the call comes in, they will have a better understanding of where they are going to and what they are getting into.

Another factor that can be added into the equation of knowing the area is with the demographics. Knowing who in terms of average age, in terms of type of population such as seniors or retirement type of people or maybe students will help with creating a rescue profile. This can be accomplished by searching for this information from local government or from just observing the response district.

Other aspects of the size up is with knowing common locations of where fire victims are found within the residential structure. They are usually found in exit areas such as windows, doors, top of stairs, bottom of stairs, middle of stairs, and in the hallways, at the fire location or in their beds depending upon the time of day. Knowing these common locations helps with the effective rescue and where to begin the search or which tactic to use.

The fire apparatus is another area that can be addressed for the first five minutes. One focal point is with the equipment options available to the membership. This involves setting up the apparatus for quick and easy access of required hand tools for any rescue operation. This involves utilizing compartment space effectively and placing certain tools on the right side of the apparatus.

Along with this is the aspect of combat ready tools. This is where the fire department can have certain tool combinations pre-made or pre-arranged and then placed in a spot on the apparatus that will be sensible and quickly grabbed. Such examples may be the hailgan and the axe, the haligan and the roof hook, the haligan and the maul, or the hailgan and the water can. There are many different tool variations that can be pre-arranged ahead of time.

Having pre-arranged seating assignments is also a good idea to quicken the rescue operation. This is where no matter who sits in what certain seat in the back or the front of the apparatus, they have a specified job function that is standard. This cuts down the time and decision making ability on who will do what – instead allowing firefighters to react based upon their assigned function.

One last area that can be looked at is our tactical options. There are many tactical options that are available for any one fire department to use – it is just a matter of using the right one for the right situation and being efficient with it. Tactics starts with training and becoming familiar with how they are beneficial, the reasons why they are different from each other and how they can be incorporated into the department’s operational capabilities.

Tactical options include things such as VES or VEIS, PPA, tactical ventilation, transitional attack, offensive attack, defensive attack, fast attack, blitz attacks, all hands rescue and so on. Tactics are a great tool for the firefighter and enable them to be effective on the fire ground – but only work when they are trained on time and time again. The place to use a tactic for the first time is not on the fire ground, it is to be used for the first time on the training ground.

By focusing upon these areas and others such as communications, the culture of the department, rescue plans and SOG’s and SOP’s, the fire department can be effective within the first five minutes.

Mark van der Feyst has been in the fire service since 1999 working in both Canada and the USA. Currently he works for the Fort Gratiot Fire Department in Michigan after taking early retirement from his career department at the end of 2020. He is an international instructor teaching in Canada, USA, India and many large and regional conferences such as FDIC, Firehouse World & Expo. He holds an MS in Safety, Security & Emergency Management from Eastern Kentucky University and has been providing virtual training sessions for Africa Fire Mission for two years.

Importance of Active and Passive Recovery for Firefighters

Importance of Active & Passive Recovery for Firefighters

by Nick Higgins

Firefighters are athletes. Taking care of ourselves means not just getting evaluated by our primary care or department physician but truly embracing a healthy lifestyle. Being able understand your body and prepare your body is equally, if not more, important to ensure our personal protective equipment is in check, self-contained breathing apparatus bottles are topped off, and the apparatus is in working order. The rigors and demands of the job place a toll on our physical and mental well-being, and it is vital we prepare our body and mind for the work potentially ahead of us, not just for one shift or call but for an entire career.

Active Recovery

Active recovery is beneficial to the body and may help us recover faster after difficult workouts or strenuous activity. I recommend that this type of recovery be on shift day or the day before or after to allow the body to recuperate from any physical activity performed on off days and to provide your body with some type of active, low-intensity recovery during shift so your body does not go into complete relaxation mode while on call. Limit active recovery exertion to no more than 75% of your typical workout level. The 75% level is just enough to keep the muscles warm and not enough to induce muscle fatigue.

Before we outline a few methods to perform active recovery, here are some of the benefits it provides.

• Reduction of lactic acid buildup in muscles.

• Elimination of toxins.

• Helps keep muscles flexible.

• Reduction of soreness.

• Increase in blood flow.

• Helps keep an exercise routine.

• Release of endorphins usually associated with regular exercise.

Here are a few methods of active recovery that are simple, yet highly effective:

• Walking

• Swimming

• Cycling

• Stretching

Passive Recovery

Passive recovery is a type of recovery that entails resting for considerable periods of time after strenuous activity. Unlike active recovery, with this type of recovery, your body is allowed total undisturbed rest to repair muscle damage and recuperate.

Proper passive recuperation is necessary for firefighters who are sick, are injured, or need physical and mental relaxation. For firefighters, rest is highly important and needed to perform at an optimal level. Rest has physiological and psychological benefits.

A healthy and optimal life is all about finding the right balance. From a 24-hour shift to 48 hours off in most cases, it is critical to take a day in between every now and then to relax and balance out the body.

By allowing the body to rest and avoid weariness of the muscles, it is allowing the body’s glycogen stores to refill, therefore attributing to the enhancement in muscle recovery. While exercise depletes your body’s energy stores or muscle glycogen, leading to muscular tissue breakdown, adequate rest helps your body correct this problem by restoring muscle glycogen, balancing blood flow, and rebuilding damaged tissue.

Here are a few methods of passive recovery that are simple, yet highly effective:

• Sleep

• Rest

• Hydration

• Massage Therapy

How to Use Recovery in Your Regimen

Adding active recovery into your training sessions can be done in two methods, and both are greatly beneficial to your recovery. The first is to add it into your current training session as soon as it has been completed, as a cool-down approach. This is where you will allow your body to ease itself out of your workout, allowing your heart rate and breathing to return to their normal states and reducing the amount of lactate in your blood. The lactate in your blood is an organic acid made by tissue and red blood cells in your muscles, which is what causes the muscle burn felt during exercise. This is the same approach as if you were driving your car and approaching a red light. Instead of slamming on the brakes to make the stop, you gently ease on the brakes for a gradual stop at the light. This same method applies to cooling down after a workout with respect to your heart rate and breathing, by going for a light walk or jog or adding in some dynamic and static stretches and yoga poses. The other option for active recovery is to incorporate this as a full active recovery day and implement the methods listed above as active recovery for the day, through swimming, walking, or yoga to name a few.

Both forms of recovery are crucial within your training cycle regimen to allow your body to find its balance repeatedly as you progress in your training. I highly recommend incorporating cool-down recovery, especially after high-intensity workouts and after fireground training sessions, for optimal recovery of the heart and body with at least one recovery day (active and passive) each week for maximum recovery and performance. In the end, listen to your body and what it is telling you. After all, it is the only place we truly have to live.

Nicholas J. Higgins is a firefighter and district training officer for Piscataway Fire District #2 in Piscataway, New Jersey. He is a New Jersey State Level 2 Fire Instructor, a National Fallen Firefighters Foundation state advocate, and a member of the Board of Directors for the 5-Alarm Task Force—a 501 (c) (3), non-profit organization. Nick is also the founder and a contributor of The Firehouse Tribune website and has spoken at various fire departments and fire conferences nationwide. He is the author of both “The 5-Tool Firefighter,” a book that helps firefighters perform at their highest level and the companion book, “The 5-Tool Firefighter Tactical Workbook” along with being the host of “The 5-Tool Firefighter Podcast”.

The Five C’s of Radio Communications

The Five C’s of Radio Communications

by Mark van der Feyst

The essential elements of effective incident scene communications fall into five categories. Understanding these attributes of successful communication and engaging in the suggested strategies will enhance your communication effectiveness, as well as that of the overall communications on the emergency incident scene. These are known as the Five C’s of Radio Communications: Conciseness, Clarity, Confidence, Control and Capability.

Conciseness

·      Keep the messages short and concise. This will help in reducing radio traffic.

·      Keep the messages specific. Think about what you want to say before you speak and then say it.

·      Condense the message as much as you can while still keeping it complete. This will help in eliminating any confusion by the receiver.  

Clarity

·      Use standard terms as defined in your department’s procedures. This will avoid any confusion on the incident scene.

·      Use plain-text language in all radio communications. Avoid using ten-codes, acronyms, or technical jargon.

·      Avoid multitasking. Describe and assign one task at a time to company members. Do not overload a company with multiple tasks to be completed at one time.

Confidence

·      Communicate on the radio in a calm manner. This helps to maintain calmness on the incident scene and does not create or add to hysteria.

·      Be audibly received. Speak in a voice loud enough to be heard by the receiver. Do not speak in soft tones or yell into the radio. Yelling will distort the message, whereas speaking too softly will require repeating of messages.

·      Use a good vocal pitch to communicate. This will help to be audibly received. Having a high pitch or a low pitch will have the same impacts as in the previous point. 

Control

·      Take control of the radio communications on the incident scene. Follow established departmental procedures and protocols.

·      Minimize unnecessary radio chatter. Prioritize messages to be sent and received.

·      Keep your emotions in check. This will help with establishing confidence and allow for more sensible direction to be given.

Capability

·      Use active listening skills. Be sure to hear all the messages that are being transmitted to you. This may require being in a quiet place versus being outside near a working engine.

·      Know how to use the communications equipment. Know where to hold the radio or microphone in relation to your mouth, SCBA face piece, or other radios nearby that may produce feedback.

about the author: Mark van der Feyst has been in the fire service since 1999 working in both Canada and the USA. Currently he works for the Fort Gratiot Fire Department in Michigan after taking early retirement from his career department at the end of 2020. He is an international instructor teaching in Canada, USA, India and many large and regional conferences such as FDIC, Firehouse World & Expo. He holds an MS in Safety, Security & Emergency Management from Eastern Kentucky University and has been providing virtual training sessions for Africa Fire Mission for two years.

Why should fire trucks and ambulances always show up for a medical emergency?

Why should fire trucks and ambulances always show up for a medical emergency?

By Kelvin from Swift Emergencies Response Unit - Kenya

When a call comes in at the call center, dispatchers often are not given precise or complete information. As such, units are dispatched on a worst-case scenario. To ensure the highest level of care, the closest fire engine station is dispatched and EMS sends an ambulance (staffed with two paramedics and/or EMT's).

No medical call is “routine.” Most require assessing the patient, obtaining their vital signs, providing oxygen therapy, and moving them, at a minimum. EMS may also need to place an advanced airway, administer drugs intravenously, or monitor cardiac conditions. All of these procedures are completed more efficiently when the appropriate amount of help is on scene. Efficient care is our goal, and efficient care often is the difference between life and death.

Unfortunately, units have no way of knowing what they will encounter on a call until they arrive. They work in a “what if” and “all risk” business. Responding to the unknown is public safety. The public can help by calling emergency numbers quickly when there is an emergency and providing details of the emergency. Emergency hotlines are your instant go-to when the need arises. It is important that you know the numbers to call to get assistance and keep a copy with you.

Ambulance Services and Its Importance in Society

Ambulance Services and Its Importance in Society

 By: Kelvin from Swift Emergencies Response Unit - Kenya

Increase in medical ailments has led to the rise in hospitals and emergency medical services assisting patients who require emergency medical assistance at critical moments, helping them to reach the hospital on time thus saving their life.

Private and public ambulance transport services are operating in more numbers today as an inevitable service providing care to critical patients at crucial moments. In Kenya, ambulance operating centers are set up at every hospital and private EMS organization. These Ambulance operating centers function with adequate ambulance transport services to offer immediate medical care for patients. Private ambulance transport services depict a consistent rise in the growth curve each year offering non-emergency services unlike hospital ambulance transport services which primarily function for emergency needs. Some of the non-emergency services include shifting patients from one hospital to another, transporting patients for any scanning or laboratory services to the relevant facilities, or patients with any travelling disabilities in normal vehicles to hospitals for treatments.

Emergency ambulance services are usually equipped with adequate medical equipment and paramedical professionals. Sometimes, non-emergency ambulance transport services are also equipped with some basic medical aids and a para medical staff to cater the needs of immediate medical care to patients.

Let us discuss a few points about the pre-hospital medical professions - paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) who are the spine of ambulance transport services:

• Paramedics or EMTs are first treating patients even before doctors (pre-hospital care) thus saving patients through immediate medical procedures ensuring the vitals stable before reaching hospitals for further treatments.

• Paramedics and EMTs are trained healthcare professionals, authorized to attend patients with required medications and procedures based on their training level.

• Education level, standards, functions and skills of paramedics and EMTs vary with countries. However. certain standard functionalities remain common such as being trained to practice CPR procedures for cardiac arrest patients, usage of defibrillators, certain analgesic, paralytics and sedative medications for pain control, first aid to treat burns, fractures, childbirth complications, spine injury, airway management, blood control etc.

• One should respect the noble service of prehospital providers who form an integral part of ambulance services.

• The youth of our nation should involve themselves in such noble service, joining community life saving teams and can considering a career as a paramedic or EMT.

• The government could benefit from taking initiatives to support volunteer community first responders at the community level and to empower them to continue saving lives at the scene before qualified personnel arrives.

Kenya Stairclimb 2023

Kenya Stairclimb 2023

On September 16, 2023, firefighters gathered for a day of remembrance of fallen firefighters and a day of camaraderie and awareness of the fire service in Kenya.

Heels on Mountains collaborated with Africa Fire Mission for this year’s Annual Firefighter Stairclimb event in Kenya, which had a had a total of 65 participants! We are grateful to all the participants and sponsors of this event.

Heels on Mountains has continuously supported firefighters in Kenya since 2019, supporting 4 stairclimb events for firefighters at the Kenya International Conference Center . Thank you to everyone that participated: Mombasa County, Kenya Airports Authority, ICT Fire and Rescue, West Pokot County. We are grateful to individual Firefighters and EMT’s as well as supporters of First Responders.

Asanti sana. You helped Kenya be on the map as the only African country that commemorated the Twin Tower bombings with a stair climb activity.

Check out photos from the Kenya Stairclimb event here:

The EXIT Project: Using U-STEP OUT Principles in Vehicle Accidents

Many patients will require extrication following a motor vehicle collision (MVC) however, little information exists on the time taken for the various stages of extrication. Dr. Tim Nutbeam, Rob Fenwick and their research team conducted research on the time it takes to extricate a patient and the positive results reducing time for extrication may have on their health. 

The EXIT Project - Using U-STEP OUT Principles in Vehicle Accidents

 by : Dr Tim Nutbeam and Rob Fenwick

In this article we will be taking a look at the USTEP Out protocol, which is a self-extrication practice. If you are unfamiliar with the EXIT Project watch this video and then continue reading here. Before discussing the USTEP Out protocol, we will look the supporting research. Recent research shows that rescuers should reduce extrication times. This can be done by recognizing that the old protocol (the absolute spinal movement minimization approach) was evolved due to a concern that excess movement may lead to avoidable secondary spinal injury, was never justified.

Further that this approach should instead be replaced – where it is in accordance with your rescue organization’s clinical governance – with:

1.     an emphasis on rapid self or assisted extrication

 2.     and where this is not initially possible, the timely creation of minimum safe space through which the trapped person can subsequently self-extricate (or be extricated by rescuers focussing on the minimization of time rather than movement)

Process

With regard to rapid self or assisted extrication, the EXIT Project’s U STEP OUT protocol is detailed below, with example photos and commentary to follow:

1.       U – Understand   

While rescuer protection is paramount, if it is safe to do so a rescuer should raise their visor and lower any mask, thus facilitating effective communication with the patient. This is allow verification that the patient is fully responsive and that they understand their circumstance.

It is important that from the outset the rescuer allocated to support the patient explains to them what is going on and their method of extrication. The rescuer should listen to and manage the patients concerns and offer verbal guidance, as well as emotional and physical support as they leave the vehicle.

2.     S - Support 

Many patients who are capable of self-extrication will do so immediately after the collision. If they are capable but have chosen not to do this, then they will likely require a rescuer’s reassurance that they will be safe if they do so. The patient should agree to the plan, but the rescuers must be aware that they may change this preference and if so, be able to manage this.

       3.     T – Try moving 

Ask the patient to move both their legs, if they cant they wont be able to self extricate

        4.     E – Egress

The door must be fully opened - consider the need to force it away from the patient if doing so will assist safe movement. Both the exit space and the identified egress path must be clear of all trip hazards and obstructions.

             5.     P – Plan 

Determine where will the patient go on exit and ensure that a suitable means of support is available and nearby.

    6.     OUT  

Offering an arm, with the patient using it to support their own movement is very low risk, compared to actively pulling the patient out of the vehicle.

Conclusion

The use of self or minimally assisted extrication will depend on the decision of the lead rescuers as to whether this option best suits their patient’s medical circumstances and needs.

The simple U STEP OUT protocol can be easily understood and used by all rescuers and will minimize patient entrapment time which will help ensure their earliest arrival to a medical care facility.

Learn more > The EXIT PROJECT

Using EXIT Principles in Motor Vehicle Accidents

Many patients will require extrication following a motor vehicle collision (MVC) however, little information exists on the time taken for the various stages of extrication. Dr. Tim Nutbeam, Rob Fenwick and their research team conducted research on the time it takes to extricate a patient and the positive results that reducing time for extrication may have on their health. 

The EXIT Project - Using EXIT Principles

 by : Dr Tim Nutbeam and Rob Fenwick

In this article, we are going to take a brief look at the main EXIT Principles – identified during Evidence Based Research in the UK – and from two different perspectives. We’ll also see how these principles can be put in Practice. Find out more here.

The Rescuer’s Perspective

The main principle identified in the research study was that rescuers should reduce extrication times by recognizing that the patient movement minimization approach (MMA), which focuses on potential damage to the patient’s spinal cord, was never justified.

The research findings point to the idea that MMA should be replaced with a primary emphasis on rapid patient self or assisted extrication, if medically appropriate and where they can follow instructions and also move their legs.

Where this is not the case, they should be extricated by rescuers focussing on the minimization of time rather than movement, with the creation of the minimum necessary safe extrication space.

In terms of clinical care, this latter practice is facilitated by :

-        medical and fire rescuers working together to develop and manage a patient centred extrication plan

-        medical and fire rescuers being aware that frequent stops for medical observations will extend the extrication time, thereby delaying arrival at hospital and so should be kept to a minimum

-        limiting care to only the clinical interventions necessary to allow safe extrication.

-        medical and fire rescuers being aware of the signs of patient deterioration and notifying the senior clinician if these signs are seen.

The Patient’s Perspective

The principle here is to meet both the physical and emotional needs of the patient. The EXIT researchers consulted with past trauma patients and found that this often tends to be poor or gets missed, because the main rescuers focus is on (extensive) space creation activities.

In response to these findings, EXIT is a patient-centred practice and allocates a dedicated ‘extrication buddy’ to the patient. Pivotal to the buddy’s role is communication; establishing a connection with that vulnerable person, including being in the car with them, using their name, explaining what’s happening and advocating on their behalf with the rescue team.

The ‘buddy’ should also use clear language, give assurance that any co-occupants and pets are safe and allow patients to call family or other close contacts.

Patient privacy is also important and so limiting the ability of the public to record events (and subsequently post them on social media), perhaps via the Police attendance, may be necessary. Note that this restriction also applies to the rescuers and their respective organizations.

Conclusion

The EXIT Principles identify that while we must care for the patient’s needs, where they present with any evidence of injury, that they should be considered as time-dependent and efforts must be made to minimise their extrication time. The quickest way to enable this is assisted self - extrication, as rescuer-extrications can be complex and take longer to perform, and so should only be employed where self-extrication is not feasible.

Learn More > The EXIT PROJECT

Confined Space Rescue: Reasons for Technical Rescue Operations Failures

Conducting a confined space rescue is a risky endeavor that requires great skill and patience.

Many times we have seen numerous rescue attempts fail due to the lack of patience and skill

being exercised by rescue personnel. In training of technical rescue operations, we instruct

upon how we want to avoid a failed rescue attempt by recognizing certain attributes that are

lending to the overall situation. The acronym FAILURE is used to describe these certain

attributes that can be present at each confined space rescue operation. The acronym FAILURE

stands for:

F – Failure to understand the environment

A – Additional medical implications not considered – dust, crush syndrome

I – Inadequate preparation

L – Lack of team work, training

U – Underestimating the logistical needs

R – Rescue vs. Recovery

E – Equipment not mastered

The first important consideration of the environment is the atmosphere inside and around the

confined space. Monitoring the atmosphere is sometimes overlooked by responding personnel

and thus leads them to become victims as atmospheric conditions overtake. The basic four gas

monitor will be a benefit as it will detect for percentage of oxygen, carbon monoxide, hydrogen

sulfide gas and lower explosive limits. Ideally, conditions should be 0 % for hydrogen sulfide, 0%

for carbon monoxide, 0% for LEL and 21% for oxygen. An increase/decrease of 1% in any

category is equivalent to 10,000 ppm of a contaminant in the ambient air. Even though there is

just a 1% difference between normal and acceptable limits, doesn’t mean that it is safe to

enter. Using hydrogen sulfide as an example, it only takes between 1000 to 2000 ppm to cause

death in a few minutes which is less than 1%.

The letter “A” represents a lack of consideration for additional medical implications that are not

being considered. The majority of confined space rescues involve a person who is overcome by

a toxic environment or a lack of oxygen within the space. Very few incidents involve medical

reasons as the catalyst for the rescue operation. When we think of medical reasons we are

considering falls, traumas, and cardiac arrest. These types of incidents represent a very low

number of why we have a confined space rescue. However, when there is a confined space

rescue operation initiated, these factors must be considered and answered.

The letter “I” is in reference to inadequate preparation. What makes a confined space rescue

incident worse is the lack of preparation for the worse to happen. Many workers will enter into

a confined space thinking that it is only another routine day. There has been no time taken to

prepare for the actual rescue of that worker. Gaining entry into a confined space is the easy

part, getting the entrant out of the confined space when something goes wrong is the hard

part. Adequate preparation must be taken to ensure that the question of “How do we get the

entrant out” can be answered before the entrant goes in.

The letter “L” is for a lack of team work. During a confined space rescue incident, there needs to

be one person one charge who will be your Incident Commander. This person will be the one

who will make the final decisions on how to affect the rescue, which person will do what tasks

and oversee the whole operation from start to finish. When you have emotions taking over

certain members of the team, they seem to want to control the operation and start to ignore

the Incident Commander and start to implement what they think is best and should be done. At

this point communications starts to break down, and mistakes start to occur.

The letter “U” is for understanding the logistical needs. It is wise to expect the worse and be

prepared for it rather than being unprepared and expecting the least. Many times rescue crews

are responding to a call not prepared for what they are going to be faced with. For a confined

space rescue incident, the crews responding need to expect the worse. This way they will be

prepared when arriving and ready to act without hesitation.

The letter “R” is for rescue vs. recovery. Establishing the mode of operation at the onset of the

effort is vital to the success of it. The Incident Commander needs to determine right away

whether they are going to be conducting a rescue or a recovery. This determination will set the

pace of the operation and it needs to be communicated to everyone on site very clearly..

Would be rescuers soon become the victim as they are overcome by toxic atmospheres found

within the space. According to statistics from NIOSH, 60% of confined space fatalities are would

be rescuers.

The letter “E” is for equipment not mastered. Confined space rescue teams use lots of different

equipment to aid them with their operations. The equipment used needs to be mastered by all

those who are expected to use it. This only occurs through training and practicing with the

equipment on a regular basis. The time to learn how to use a certain piece of equipment is on

the training grounds and not at the confined space incident.

About the Author:

Mark van der Feyst is a 25 year veteran of the fire service and is currently the Senior Battalion Chief at the Six Nations Fire & Emergency Services in Canada and a part time firefighter with the Fort Gratiot Fire Department in Michigan. He has worked in both the USA and Canada for various fire departments and holds a Masters of Science degree in Safety, Security & Emergency Management from Eastern Kentucky University.

Electric Vehicle Fires

By: Chief Hank Clemmensen, AFM Board Chair

With adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) increasing around the world, firefighters need to be aware of the dangers they present and the unique challenges associated with extinguishing an electric vehicle fire.  Training and preparation is critical to prepare for advancements like the introduction of electric buses in Kenya.  Is your fire brigade prepared to respond to incidents for electric vehicles? Start training specifically for EVs, now reading this detailed article on EV fire attack and extrication basics by Patrick Durham.

https://www.firerescue1.com/electric-fire/articles/electric-vehicle-response-fire-attack-and-extrication-basics-PwPBmx8uuMuMOR2G/

Trauma: Who, What, Where, When and Why?

Trauma is a word that seems to get used more and more these days; heal your trauma, childhood trauma, vicarious trauma... What to do with trauma?

 Eleven years ago, I started my career as a full-time firefighter. Out training around trauma consisted of looking at horrible pictures and hearing a few stories of bad calls.  At that time, the only experience I had with dead people was at the few funerals I had attended. I had never placed my hands on a dead body before becoming a firefighter, and there was no preparation for the psychological aftermath of some of the events that would happen in my life.

 Fast forward to now, and that surely is not the case. There have been hundreds of dead bodies, and I can't even count the number of times I have done CPR.  However, up until just a few years ago, I still didn’t fully grasp what Trauma was, let alone how it shows up, where one might find it and why it tends to linger around. 

 Through a long journey of healing, research and life experience, I have understood what my trauma means for me in this life.  The thing about exceptional experiences, like trauma, is that once they have occurred, there is no erasing them.  Now, this doesn't mean it has to remain the same forever and ever.  The beauty of the human mind is that we can create perspective.  Take politics, for example. The same people and the same problems have different perspectives on how to solve the issues.  A lesson I have learned through my trauma experience is that this approach can take one out of dark times and into brighter days.

 In December 2020, I was a part of a crew that extracted a woman from a house fire.  The scene was a known homicide, the victim was beaten and burned to death.  The image of her body and her children standing on her lawn stayed with me for a long time; they were hard to shake.  At the same time in my life, I owned a Gym, and the closures from the pandemic were wreaking havoc on my finances, my stress and my relationship; this traumatic experience put me over the edge.

The shift that happened through various therapies was very subtle yet extremely powerful.

 It was this:

  Why is this happening FOR me? vs. Why is this happening TO me?

For vs To:

 The understanding of this came from experiencing trauma's impact on my life.  Let's break down the who, what, where, when, and why of trauma.

 Who is Trauma? 

 Weird question, right? Too often, we become our trauma; it victimizes us, and we fall into the trap of continually asking ourselves, why did this happen to me?  We create an entire identity around our trauma and allow that story to infiltrate our lives.  Unfortunately, most of the time, this takes on a negative narrative that can lead to dark places of unhappiness, anxiety and depression; that is what happened to me.  Once I learned that I am not my trauma, it enabled me to separate from it.  From this place of separation, I could now view it as something different.

Our Trauma comes from an experience; it sticks around and hunts us because of the narratives our mind places on the traumatic experience. By learning to change this narrative, we can change how we perceive the experience of trauma in our life.

 What is Trauma?

 Is the Trauma the event that occurred? Perhaps and if that is true that trauma is the event, then why do we continue to suffer from the trauma after the event takes place?  I sat down for dinner three days after extracting a dead, burnt person from a house fire. My wife had made roasted chicken for dinner.  The traumatic experience was now over; however, my entire body was shaking, my heart was pounding, and I could not bring myself to eat as I was on the verge of vomiting, just from the look of the chicken on the table. My children were trying to talk to me as I stared blankly at the food before me, not hearing a single word.  I was having physical, emotional and psychological responses to the event that had occurred three days prior.  The trauma was alive and thriving within me.

 Trauma is the emotional, psychological and sometimes physical response to a traumatic event. After the event has taken place, it now remains an experience in our lives.  We do, as humans, have the ability to change how we respond to this event.  Knowing that our response is adaptable is the first step in helping heal from any horrible event.

 Where is Trauma?

 If trauma isn’t the event but how we respond to the circumstance that has already happened, then where is it? Where is the trauma?

There is no correct answer here because how trauma shows up is different for everyone.  My experience showed up in several ways, constant anxiety, insomnia, outbursts of uncontrollable crying in the middle of the night, depression, yelling and swearing at my children (they were 3 and 6 at the time), negative self-talk, negativity towards others, and playing the victim card.  There were moments when I was playing with my kids, laughing and rolling around when out of nowhere, the thought of that night would enter my mind and rob my children of their father.  One of the most potent therapies I did was Neuro-Linguistic Programming or NLP.  It worked by changing my image of the dead body to a pair of jeans and a wreath of roses.  I know it sounds weird, but it worked.  Every time that thought enters my mind, I think of a pair of jeans and a wreath of roses. 

 When looking to talk to a professional, find one who practices NLP.  It worked wonders for me.

 Why?

 This question was probably asked ten thousand times, “Why is this happening to me.”  One evening in bed, I broke down and asked this question to my wife, and her response changed my life.  She said, “Maybe it's not happening to you; maybe it's happening for you.”  As I explored this perspective shift, I kept finding positive reinforcement.  “Maybe this happened to show me that even when horrible things happen, love still exists,”  the proof being the person's children crying on the front lawn. 

 When?

 We never know when or how our past experiences will show up in our lives.  Lots of the time, it happens unexpectedly.  As a first responder, finding tools to help manage our stress and anxiety helps to mitigate our trauma when it shows up.  We train to prepare for the unexpected; our mental health and trauma are no different.  By consistently working on healing and discovering new tools that work for us, we can shift our mindset around what trauma is, how it shows up, and where to find it.   We can begin to shift our perspectives about why our trauma has happened for us, not to us.

 Trauma is no joke. As a firefighter, I don’t believe we have enough education or tools to help us deal with and manage our trauma.  My best advice is to start exercising your relationship with trauma before it happens.  Learn how to breathe, talk to a professional early, and know that there is always another way to view what has happened. 

The entire city would burn down if we waited for the fire to start to learn how to put out the fire.  Learn the tools before the trauma occurs; if it already has, there is no time like the present to start.

 About the Author

Brandon Evans is a professional firefighter, father, and Founder of Fire to Light, a research and development organization specializing in preventative mental health of firefighters.

Brandon works to raise awareness around trauma in firefighters, helping to identify what it is, where it shows up and what we can do about it, before and after.

Through sharing stories, experiences and tools, Brandon hopes to help reduce the rates of suicide and PTSD amongst firefighters globally.

Fire Dynamics

By: Mark van der Feyst

Rapid fire developments (RFD) are when we have a sudden and immediate change in the fire environment. At one moment we have thick, dark, black smoke with intense heat and the next second, we have a ball of fire from floor to ceiling – this is an RFD.

Every fire department will face RFD’s no matter what type of structure they are dealing with – if it has four walls and a roof, then there is the space and environment for an RFD. The different types of RFD’s are going to be flashover, back draft, and smoke explosions. The three are different in how they develop and react but are the same with the outcomes – deadly outcomes. RFD’s produce RIP’s (Rest In Peace) for the fire service.

Of the three RFD’s, flashover is going to be the one that will occur the majority of time at any and every structure fire. So, what is a flashover? A flashover is the simultaneous ignition of unburned fire gases within a room. It occurs when hot gases rise to the ceiling and spread out across the walls. These hot gases are what we call black smoke – unburned particles of combustion. As it spreads out across the ceiling and the walls, it starts to heat up the items found within the room such as the paint on the walls, the furnishings, clothing, mattress, flooring material, etc. – until they all reach their ignition temperature. Once they are all at their ignition temperature, an RFD occurs.

Before a flashover occurs, there are warning signs that are presented or given off by the fire to indicate that flashover is impending. These warning signs are presented to us both visibly and tactically – our eyes can see and our bodies can feel them.

·       Heat buildup – based upon the temperature range of flashover, there will be a period of time when excessive heat buildup will occur. This heat buildup will descend down towards the lower levels of the room pushing the firefighter down to the floor. This will be the result of radiant heat being produced by the unburnt particles of combustion spreading out from ceiling to walls and then down to the floor area. When this quick increase in heat occurs, and it is an intensive heat; flashover is impending. 

·       Roll over – this is a visible indicator as it reveals itself in the smoke. A roll over or flame over is when small gaps open up in the smoke layer allowing air to mix with the unburned particles of combustion and ignite. Small flames can be seen in the midst of the smoke for momentary periods of time and then disappear. When this occurs, this is a warning sign that flashover is coming.  

·       Thick dark smoke – this is also a visible indicator as it will present itself outside the building as well as inside the building. On the inside, you will not see anything except total blackness: but on the outside, you will notice this. Whenever you have thick dark, acrid black smoke pushing out from a structure under high pressure and with high velocity, flashover is impending. This is an outside warning of what is waiting for us on the inside.

What has been described above are the common signs that we will see and feel at every fire – it is important for the firefighter to learn and understand the basic concept of what a flashover is before being able to learn the actions that can be used to aggressively cool the fire or escape the situation if warranted.

About the Author:

Mark van der Feyst is a 25 year veteran of the fire service and is currently the Senior Battalion Chief at the Six Nations Fire & Emergency Services in Canada and a part time firefighter with the Fort Gratiot Fire Department in Michigan. He has worked in both the USA and Canada for various fire departments and holds a Masters of Science degree in Safety, Security & Emergency Management from Eastern Kentucky University.

From Ideal to Real

By: Rabbi Howard A Cohen (Deputy Chief, ret.) AFM Virtual Training Coordinator

As first responders we are required to absorb an overwhelming quantity of data.  As good as our intentions are to remember all that we are taught, the reality is that we forget details.  This is why constant reviewing, drilling and periodic recertification is so important.  Even with doing our best to keep our skills sharp and our knowledge base current, the reality is that we cannot possibly be experts in every situation we might encounter in the course of work.  For example, though we may have a solid understanding of basic first aid principles, we are not doctors and therefore are limited to the extent that we can help a patient in the field.  Even if we were trained to the level of a medical doctor, in the field far removed from a hospital facility, we would still be limited with what can do.  We do not work in controlled environments or under ideal conditions.  No matter what the situation or our skill level, our response is always on a spectrum that moves from the ideal to the real.

Every three years I re-certify as a wilderness first responder.  Every three years I’m embarrassed to admit how much I’ve forgotten.  Although I wish my memory was such that I was better at calling up a lot of details and data that I rarely ever use, I don’t worry about it.  Why? Early on in my first responder career I was taught two important lessons.  The first lesson is that an emergency response in the field will always be somewhere on the spectrum from the ideal to the real.  As emergency responders we do the best that we can with the tools and knowledge that we have on the scene. This is what it means to move from the ideal to the real.  Remember, as first responders, our objective is keep the patient alive long enough to get to advanced medical care.  It is not our job, nor do we have the skills, to fix or heal patients.  Our job is to stabilize, comfort, and transport our patients.

To do our job well as first responders we do not need a medical education. This brings me to the second important lesson I have learned in my career as a first responder:  Pay special attention to the three big systems: circulatory, neurological and respiratory and do whatever you can do to keep them functioning.  The vast majority of injuries to people are not life threatening.  However, any significant trauma to one or more the three big systems has a high probability of being life threatening.  If a person is bleeding, stop the bleeding.  You do not need to know how to suture.  You do not need to know how long to keep pressure on an open wound.  You only need to know that you have to “plug” the hole where the bleeding is coming from.  If your patient is not breathing you don’t need to know how to do a tracheotomy.  You just need to know what to do to open her airway because if you can’t get your patient breathing she will die.  Ideal to the real.  Remember, it is not our job, nor do we have the skills, to fix or heal patients.  Our job is to keep them alive and as comfortable as possible as we get them to advanced medical care.

As first responders we will always strive to respond with the very best of our abilities.  That’s what we do.  However, the reality is that we are generalists trained to respond to a mind boggling variety of emergency situations that always happen under less than ideal conditions.  Ideally, we might want to respond in a certain way, in reality, the situation and our knowledge level will determine our response.  Therefore, it is important to remember that emergency medical responses in the field always fall somewhere on the ideal to real spectrum. Our goal is to do the best that we can with the tools and knowledge we have on the scene.

About the author:

Howard joined the fire service in 2001 to serve as chaplain of his local fire department. Twenty years later he retired as his department's deputy chief.  Howard planned to join Africa Fire Mission on a trip to Zambia but Covid interrupted those plans. He has since traveled twice to Kenya with AFM. He is regular AFM blog contributor and webinar instructor. Outside of the fire service, Howard serves as rabbi to Congregation Shirat Hayam in Duxbury MA. He also has a leadership and mental fitness coaching practice called code3leadershipcoaching.

Africa Fire Mission Supports Fire Service Development with White Papers

Africa Fire Mission Supports Fire Service Development with White Papers

by Nancy L. Moore, LISW-S, LCSW, CPCC, Executive Director and Co-Founder of AFM

It’s hard to believe that Africa Fire Mission has been working in Africa for over a decade. Since 2012, we have been working closely to provide training and consultation to the Fire Service in Africa. While our largest program is in Kenya, we have also worked directly in Zambia, Malawi, Ghana, Nigeria and Ethiopia. We have provided consultation or equipment in other countries across Africa as well.

As we support the fire service, we continue to look for ways that we can grow our impact. Our next step in supporting the African fire service in developing communities is by providing more advocacy resources that will help leaders in Africa to be able to support a well functioning fire service. In order to support our advocacy efforts, AFM is drafting white papers to help provide quality information for African leaders to support decision making with developing programs, making equipment purchases or accepting used equipment donations.

All too often AFM has seen situations when fire service leaders know what they need and have a hard time articulating the need or justifying the costs of quality programs and equipment to the government officials making the budgetary decisions. Our hope is to provide quality information that is designed to support these advocacy efforts.

Our first white paper is now available and addresses the need for a quality Breathing Apparatus Program. Let us know what you think. More importantly, please utilize the white paper as a tool for advocacy when you need support!