biglinefire

2009-02-11T15:07:00.000-08:00

What’s Wrong with Being a Fireman?

I was involved in a fire house conversation, in which I called myself a “Fireman”. The reaction from some was swift and scathing. It was as if I swore during High Mass or shouted fire in the theater or set fire to the Stars and Stripes. I was told that I am not a Fireman but a Firefighter. When I began to defend my position, my argument fell upon death ears. So when did it become a Sin to refer to yourself or a co-worker as a “Fireman”?
I ask you, what is wrong with using the term Fireman? I am sure there are many who would say that it is a passé, sexist throw back to times past and others would ask what the difference is between a firefighter and a fireman. The short answer: attitude. There are many firefighters in the world, all with the same attitude: they have the cookie-cutter hair cut, sun glasses and the “I fight what you fear” tattoo. They have the patch, the tee shirt and the badge but lack the true meaning of what is required to succeed at this job, what it means to be a Fireman.
So what is the real difference is between a Firefighter and a Fireman? Firemen understand not just the how, but the why operations are preformed on the fireground. We have text books and power points that show the how to fight a fire, but it is not until the firefighter takes it upon themselves to understand the why of the operation, that they may then call themselves a fireman. Firemen are street smart and understand the importance of the roots of our job: Hot, dirty, hard work that every generation has done before us. The title Fireman is rooted in these traditions. (Yes I know the real root is from the company member who kept the steamer hot and ready to pump water, but I digress.)
Too many in the fire services, from the probie to chief officer, take fire ground operations for granted; they find themselves tied to an SOP or the “we always do it that way” operating mode. They have not made the investment in themselves and their careers: to go beyond the how-to phase to the understanding why phase, and despite a long tenure on the job, they still find themselves fighting the fire vs. beating the fire. So I guess they are truly Firefighters.
So the only sin committed is not being prepared to do the job and not taking pride in your work. I challenge you to renew your commitment to yourself, our profession and your community and be proud of your commitment to not just doing your job but knowing why you are taking action and be proud to call yourself a FIREMAN.

Lite Duty,Triple duty

2008-10-16T21:02:00.000-07:00

I have been on modified duty at work after a stupid injury to my knee. This has slowed me down somewhat. No active firefighting either at work or with Willow Oak. I have had the opportunity to work on my management skills however, whether it as the Station manager for Dixon or as the IC for Willow Oak, and it has given me a renewed perspective on how to better my performance.

On the home front, my Wife (Hi dear) is just barely keeping her head above the ocean of work for nursing school. I have been trying to keep up the house, the family life and parenting. This has given me a renewed appreciation for what Katie has done all those times I have been out "Playing Fireman", and the house still needed to run. I can take from this lessons in time management and multi-tasking from all the new tasks I have to do.

And because my wife is one of the few regular readers I would like to say the her: So Dear despite the fact that I may come out of left field sometimes I do know what you are going through, and thanks for the training opportunity.

Hard Boiled

2008-10-08T14:12:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to respond to and assist at the recent mutli-causality bus roll-over incident in Wiliams. We provided support and command and control personnel. Seven people died at scene and one other died at the hospital. Challenging does not even begin to describe the scene. I could go on and on about the success and failures that took place, but that could take forever.

When I returned home 10 hours later, my wife was probing me for signs of post incident stress, but I was stress free. The loss of life, the pain and suffering the tragic human cost had no effect on me. I guess all the years of "doing" have made me "Hard Boiled". I guess this is a good thing, because if I let any of the tragedy that I have dealt with in I would not be able to do my job.

The Lost Art of Firemanship

2008-10-04T10:36:00.000-07:00

The views expressed are those of the author, and do not represent my employer, or other members of the fire service although maybe they should…

Let face facts, this job is not rocket science. Those of average intelligence, with common sense and basic mechanical aptitude can excel in the fire service. Then why have we lost the basic knowledge, skills and abilities to perform our jobs?
It can all fall back upon the lost art of firemanship. Yes I used the “man” version, but firemanship is not about gender, rather it refers to the basic skills that that fire service has used for generations.

As a boy scout I studied the basics of firefighting and earned my “Firemanship” merit badge. We learned about the fire triangle and if we took away a leg of the triangle, the fire would go out. We learned hot air rises and fire always looks for the path of least resistance. I learned these things when I was 12 years old. Why is it that this basic information seems to be foreign to most people entering the fire service today?
Yes that was many years ago, but I still use those simple boyhood lessons every day. Not to generation bash, but the kids these days have grown-up in a much different time and culture than I did.

We have the pleasure of hosting a junior college fire academy at our department. This allows me the opportunity to witness the “cream-of-the-crop” and the future of our profession. And what I see makes me worry. Many of the “kids” appear to lack basic life skills: how to clean a toilet; how to press a shirt; how to cook a basic meal or how to follow simple instructions. It is not all their fault. We as a society must take our share of the blame. Our fast food, fast lane, and fast internet world has taken away the need for our youth to learn the skills that it takes to be a good firefighter.

We again fail them in the academy. We have forsaken the must know skills: hoselines, ladder throws, search and rescue and PPE use. As an example I have seen as little as four hours of the fire academy dedicated to SCBA. The students get to don the BA once and maybe do a quick right-hand search, and then they are onto the next topic.

The instructors have spent much more time on topics such as Hazmat, confined space and terrorism. These are all important given the world we live in, but they should not replace the information that the entry level grunt firefighter needs to know. Education should focus on pulling hose, throwing ladders and basic fire behavior--- good basic firemanship. A Firefighter 1 certification should mean more than just being able to recognize a hose or ladder, but the new firefighter must know how to use them, in their sleep!

It is just not the “new kids” that lack the luster and shine of good firemanship, but guys that have been on the job for some time. Just to review a basic tenant of firefighting: Firefighting is inherently dangerous. When did we forget this fact? Fire is hot. There is smoke, dangerous gases, little or no visibility and FIRE. I have been on incidents where we were admonished to avoid going in because it was burning. I ask you if we do not go in to put the fire out then what are we there for? This is where common sense comes into play: We enter the environment knowing that it is dangerous. We are running in, while everyone else is run out, to take actions to make the situation better.

Another example of the loss of Firemanship is demonstrated by a department culture where it is acceptable to sit in the front lawn, surrounded by a pile of water bottles after using your first SCBA bottle rehabbing , all the while the home continues to burn. Firefighting means you are going to get dirty, be hot, tired and just plain get your back side kicked. When did it become ok to abandon your job because you are sweating?

We have also lost the basic knowledge of fire behavior. A neighboring department was working a residential fire, when the radio lit up with anxious traffic reporting an attic fire. They seemed truly surprised that there was fire extension to the attic space. All I could do not to yell at the radio and say “no duh dumb sh**.”

Yes, I have spent a great deal time griping about what is wrong, and I would be remiss if I did not offer any solutions. I am mindful of the old saying admonishing those who live in glass houses not through stones. So I took my 6 foot hook and cleared the glass, sash and all, hopefully letting the stale air out.

First, we cannot change how the next generation is raised. But we can encourage vocational education. It should be ok to take a shop class. People should know how things work and how to fix things and I don’t mean debugging a computer program or how to hard reboot a CPU.

Second, we must not forsake our traditions. Fire has been fought by men and women, crawling down hot, smokey hallways taking a beating to put the fire out. It was dangerous then and remains dangerous now. Let’s not let forget the lessons learned by our predecessors; take the time to teach the New Kid what firemanship is about, what the job is about.

Third, we must continue our professional and personal education. We cannot just learn something and think we know it forever. Our job environment changes too much to remain entrenched in some old technique we learned in drill school. Keep an open mind, but do not forget the basics.

Remember put the wet stuff on the red stuff. We can solve all the fire ground problems by putting the fire out. With no fire, there is no need for a rescue. No exposure problems and no need for the RIC.

As a profession we must return to the basics of our trade: Hot, dirty, hard work that every generation has done before us. Keep yourself educated, in shape and be true to the job. Remember we are the fire service and it is only as good as we make. Do not forget Firemanship, because without it public works could do our job.

One Year Later

2008-07-23T19:53:00.000-07:00

As I was surfing the net---looking at my own Blog, reading the poem "Reasons" I realized that it has been a year and a day that we lost two brothers from the Contra Costa County FPD in the line of duty.

The report is out and it may be accessed form this link;
http://www.cccfpd.org/press/documents/MICHELE%20LODD%20REPORT%207.17.08.pdf

Rest In Peace Brothers

True Brotherhood

2008-07-23T17:09:00.000-07:00

I spent my vacation camping, well sort of, if call climbing up and down mountains with a bunch of firemen camping or a vacation. As fate would have it, I actually took sometime off from work. We (the family) had made some plans to travel to Humboldt County for a camping trip, but that was soon awash in the fallout from sky high gas prices, but I took the time off just the same with plans for some short day trips with the fam. But a freak dry lightening event on June 20-21changed all of those plans. In the wake of the storm northern California was burning with nearly 1500 wildland fires.
Needless to say we were soon out the door to fight mother nature. The irony of it all was that we were dispatched to Humboldt County.

Well to get to the point of the title I became ill-- vomiting and unable to perform--food poisoning I thought. As I sat on a hillside, my brother firemen sat next to me looking out for my well being. It took great fortitude to sit and listen and watch me empty my stomach multiple times, but they never left my side. Instead the took my gear from me and walked with me back up the hill. They were my true brothers and I thank them for looking out for me.

Big Plans; Small results

2008-07-23T17:05:00.000-07:00

Though I started this blog with the best intentions I have not been a a "good" blogger. So to my audience I apologize.

Firefighter Safety

2008-03-31T16:52:00.000-07:00

ORANGE PEEL
January 10, 2007

BY: Jason Barker
Dixon Fire Department
Engine 81

Tactics and Strategies to Prevent Firefighter Entrapment
At Residential Garage Fires

Fire companies operating at a garage fire must make many operational decisions: The mode and location from which to attack the fire, needed fire flow and correct hoseline size just to name a few. During Size up you should gather all the basic information needed, and based on the size-up formulate a plan that addresses tactics and strategies to prevent a firefighter entrapment in the garage?

The response to a residential garage fire is a multi-hazard incident. The arriving companies’ first hazard is the fire. But not to be over-looked are the hazards associated with the exposures: the residence, autos and adjacent buildings. Also the potential for a hazmat and hazardous run off must be addressed. Given all these factors, firefighter safety can not be over looked.

A line of duty death of a San Francisco firefighter is attributed to the failure of a garage door mechanism. The fire was in a building that sat on a cliff side. The company entered through the street level garage door, making their way down to the fire. Many factors contributed to the events that lead to the death and injury. But it was the failure of the door mechanism that trapped the fire company in the garage. In addition the closed door kinked the hoseline pinching off the water.

Typical slab type door If you should chose to access the fire building through the garage door then you should have a basic knowledge of garage door types and their construction. In addition we need to understand the mechanism by which the doors open and close.

RESDINTAL GARAGE DOORS:

There are three basic over-head door types: The sectional or folding door, the rolling steel door and the slab type of door .
Residential garages typically are either the sectional or slab type doors and the rolling steel door is typically used in the commercial applications.
esidential garage doors are typically either the sectional or slab type and the rolling steel door is typically used in the commercial applications.

Despite the construction or application, all types of over-head doors pose similar hazards. They can open or close unexpectedly and with great force. Personnel can be injured by the action of the door. The doors are large, hard to control. Door openings can expose firefighters to the fire, and hazardous chemicals and run-off. The large opening can give the fire a large influx of air intensifying the fire potentially extending the fire beyond the original fire

Sectional Garage Door. Despite the construction or application, all types of over-head doors pose similar hazards, they can open or close unexpectedly and with great force causing injury to personnel operating in or near the garage door opening. These doors are large and hard to control and if trapped inside because of sudden door failure it can expose firefighters to the heat of the fire and hazardous chemicals that are often stored in the typical residential garage. The large opening can give the fire a large influx of air intensifying the fire and potentially extending the fire beyond the original fire area.

There are two basic types of mechanisms for opening and closing garage doors. They are manual and electric. In the residential application the manual method uses springs to aid in opening the door. The problem with the motorized opener is two fold. First the motor and mechanism tend to fail in the heat of a fire. Second we disable the power to the home, effectively disabling the opener. All electric openers should have a manual release. But again there devices are at the ceiling level, in the heat and smoke , and tend to fail in a fire.

When gaining access to the garage through the over-head door it must be secured to prevent the accidental closing and possible entrapment behind the door. Many operations advocate blocking the door open. A common technique that is used is to prop open the garage door by using a pike pole But how long will it take for the hook to be “needed” else where. The door is no longer supported, and may close. Others advocate deforming the track to prevent the door from closing by striking or twisting the track which will keep the door from rolling back closed. This technique works well, but prevents closing the Typical Sectional Roll up Doordoor should it need to be closed at a latter time.

One of the better methods to secure door is to clamp the track with a pair of vise grip pliers. This effectively blocks the door open, yet still allows the door to be closed as needed.

If the door should fail and close, trapping crews behind the door we must have a plan to gain access to the trapped members. It seems that just prying the door open would be the best action. But remember the door weighs a great deal. The track may be damaged by the fire, or the electric motor and mechanism may prevent the door from operating in the normal fashion.

Slab Garage Door

This type of door is often found in older residential construction and unless the homeowner has upgraded the door with an automatic opener, these doors use the spring style opener to assist in the lifting and closing of the door. It is important to remember that the spring being is used is simply adding some mechanical advantage to assist the weight of the door and provides little or no support when the door is in the open position. These slab doors are almost always made of wood, and is heavier in comparison to their sectional counterpart.

These doors present many problems to the fire companies, because they are difficult to open, and usually require a saw to perform the operation. Additionally, these doors have a higher rate of closing during fire operations because of spring mechanism failing.

CUTTING GARGE DOORS:

Techniques used to open commercial roll-up and over head doors may be useful to open a residential garage door. Cutting the door open may be time consuming and requires that you have some knowledge in the construction of the doors. The operation of a power saw may be complicated the inability to run in the smoke conditions, as was the case in the San Francisco Line of Duty Death. Rapid actions that will disable the door, allowing quick access and egress are the best option.

Cutting sectional doors requires the use of a power saw. The saw operator should make a horizontal cut at about shoulder height in the middle of one of the sections. An easy technique to assist the saw operator is to rest the body of the saw on their shoulder and simply walk from side to side. This will assist the keeping the saw operator from becoming fatigued during the cutting operation. Once the cut is completed, you simply pull back the cut panel and remove the remaining panels.

There are two schools of thoughts on cutting a slab door. One technique is to simply use the same technique that is used on a sectional door. The second technique is making a “dice” (vertical) cut down the middle of the door. Either technique will work well on wood doors. Should you encounter a metal slab door, the horizontal cut is preferred, and make sure you cut deep enough to cut through the support bracing on the inside of the door.

Attacking the door at the attachment point will easily disable the door, allowing the access to the garage.

The door may be disabled with power saws, or manually with striking tools. The method that best allows for rapid access through the garage door will enable the timely rescue of trapped firefighters and civilians.

CONSTRUCTION FEATURES:

Typical residential garage doors are of three basic designs: A single layer, two layers or three layer door construction. Single layer construction (1) one layer of galvanized steel in 24 or 25 gauge depending on the model. Two layer construction (1) an outer skin of 25-gauge galvanized steel and (2) a 7/8" layer of polystyrene insulation board that is backed with a plastic film for added protection. Three-layer construction (1) an outer skin of 24-gauge or 27-gauge galvanized steel, (2) a layer of polystyrene insulation that is pressure bonded between the two steel layers and ranges in thickness from 1 3/8" to 2" (3) a steel backing plate that protects the insulation and enhances the appearance of the door. In conclusion, we must recognize the hazards associated with accessing the fire building through a garage door, and we must practice tactics and utilize strategies that will limit the potential for firefighter entrapment.

Worker For Dixon

2008-03-30T18:54:00.000-07:00

Dixon fire was dispatched to a rural residential structure fire early morning morning March 30. A delay in reporting the fire aided in the fire gaining significant headway prior to arrival of the initial alarm.

The fire has self vented and had involved 80% of the residence prior to the arrival of the department.

The incident was upgraded to a second alarm and special call for water tenders from the third alarm matrix was made.

There were no firefighter injuries, however both of the residents sustained lacerations when the forced to evacuate through a window.

Firefighter Safety and Utility Control

2008-03-27T20:18:00.000-07:00

Firefighter Safety, Utility Control
And
Uninterruptible Power Supplies

During a recent response for a gas leak at a local seed research facility we diligently performed our duties: We conducted a hazard assessment, determined if there was anyone needing medical attention and secured both the natural gas and power, eliminating potential fuel and ignition sources, right? At first glance yes, but it was not until later in the incident did we realize the computer work stations were still powered. They all had an uninterruptible power supplies or UPS systems.
The building was charged with natural gas. Whether the concentration was above, below or within the flammable range was unknown, and (Yes I known that natural gas it lighter than air, but the container was full) whether the UPS could provide an ignition source is unknown, but we were not as safe as we first thought? As we completed our operations, now aware of the missed power supplies, I began to notice additional battery powered equipment including the emergency egress lighting and the exit lights. I never really thought of these as potential ignition sources, but given the right conditions they indeed could provided the means to create an explosion and/or fire.
Though exit and emergency lights and UPS units are common items in commercial occupancies, many people use the UPS for their home computers also. There are two common systems in use today: standby UPS and continuous UPS. A standby UPS runs the computer off of the normal utility power until it detects a problem. At that point, it very quickly (in five milliseconds or less) turns on a power inverter and runs the computer off of the UPS's battery A power inverter simply turns the DC power delivered by the battery into 120-volt, 60-Hertz AC power.
In a continuous UPS, the computer is always running off of battery power and the battery is continuously being recharged. The battery charger continuously produces DC power, which the inverter continuously turns back into 120-volt AC power. If the power fails, the battery provides power to the inverter. There is no switch-over time in a continuous UPS. This setup provides a very stable source of power.
Standby UPS systems are far more common for home or small-business use because they tend to cost about half as much as a continuous system. Continuous systems provide extremely clean, stable power, so they tend to be used in server rooms and mission critical applications.
The hazard to firefighters from the UPS can come from electric shock, heat generation and the chemical reaction from the charging process. Other locations where you will find UPS and battery back-up systems are at cell phone sites and electric utility sub-stations. These systems typically use a wet cell lead-acid battery. When these batteries charge, they produce hydrogen gas, which is the same gas that was in the Hindenburg. If this gas is not properly ventilated it will accumulate and find an ignition source. In March 2001, the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District responded to a report of a building explosion in Rancho Cordova, CA. Upon further investigation they found a computer company’s battery back-up system had exploded. They found several walls blown over and visible smoke from a room that housed several large batteries. Firefighters also reported that a 40-foot section of the roof was missing just over the area of the explosion.
The energy released by an explosion can injure and even kill responders. Other concerns for firefighters can include back-up generator systems. These systems are designed to supply power to the building in the event of a power system failure. These systems must have a system to switch between the power sources- the utility company or the generator. This switch is typically automatic, and will activate when there is any interruption in the utility power supply, i.e. when we turn off the power. This can prove to be a problem when firefighters are attempting to eliminate the electrical hazards at an emergency scene. Preplanning and onsite training with the building maintenance personnel will give fire companies an opportunity to understand how the system works and how to overcome the automatic operation. Even more dangerous to the firefighters is the illegal generator hookups, without the required switch; the power can come from either source. Also associated with the illegal hook up is the improper use of the gasoline powered generator. The generator is a common cause of CO poisoning, and as was the origin of a recent house fire, caused from the heat from engine operation and exhaust.
So the next time that you are assigned to secure the utilities, realize that you may have not completely de-energized the building. The use of UPS, battery backup and generator systems many continue to provide power and ignition sources in the building and danger to the firefighters operating at the incident.

Lost Brothers

2008-03-27T19:56:00.000-07:00

I wrote this after attending a LODD memorial for two fallen brothers from the Contra Costa Consolidated Fire District

Reasons…

Brothers are lost
For only the best reasons
Brothers are lost
Despite the season
Brothers are lost
Why
I cannot reason
Though my heart remains heavy and
Though my tears have dried
Though I did not know you
I am so very sad that you died
For all the right reasons

About this Blog

2008-03-27T19:40:00.000-07:00

This is my first blog. My lovely wife said that I have so much information to share that I should start a Blog to impart my wisdom. I am a student first and teacher second, and by no means an expert. I just take some advice that a mentor of mine gave, and that is to listen when the OLD guys start talking. There is so much to learn from the WAR Stories. It is now my turn to continue the tradition and keep the learning train on track. I hope you can learn something from the information I will pass on

Thanks for reading and remember stay low and let'er blow
Jason