Posts Tagged: Fireground
NIOSH summary report on CFD firefighter/paramedic Christopher Wheatley’s LODD prompts an interesting question
Is it important to follow each fireground order to the letter, or should we have the latitude to act upon our instincts and experience to get the job done?
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Situational Awareness: Wall Collapse Near Miss
UK Firefighter Narrowly Escapes Wall Collapse
Collapse captured on dash cam shows Greater Manchester (UK) Fire and Rescue Service close call
This was recently posted on Firefighternation.com and depicts a a video clip that captures a dramatic n…
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Basics for Understaffed Truck Work: Search
By searching for victims and fire, we can increase the speed of fire attack and extinguishment which creates a safer fireground for everyone. This post will detail how to get the most out of your search despite various staffing levels.
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Cleveland Fire Department’s Lt. Kevin Brady Survives Heart Attack, Sought Out Help
Instead of ignoring it he told a paramedic in the station who hooked him up to the monitor to discover he was having a heart attack.
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RAW VIDEO: Early Morning Los Angeles Fire Caught On Video By Neighbor
An early morning fire out in Los Angeles caught by a citizen across the street from 1324 N. Sunderland Street in Echo Park. As first reported by the Fire Critic over the weekend this fire took 17 minutes to bring under control with 32 firefighters.
T…
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U.S. Firefighter Injuries in 2009 Report Released
Based on survey data reported by fire departments, the NFPA estimates that 78,150 firefighter injuries occurred in the line of duty in 2009.
This is a decrease of 1.9 percent from the year before. In recent years, the number of firefighter injuri…
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UPDATE – Must see video: Cop takes the plug at Detroit house fire. Plus more from the Motor City.
A classic bit of video from Detroit.
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Sketchy Characters on the Fireground
Some carry business cards, some clipboards, some notebooks others camera or the obvious “costume” they put on to look like a member of the community concerned about their neighbors house burning to the ground.
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A Break in the Chain of Command
The embedding of a reporter and giving him direct access and “fly on the wall” status to the daily operations of McChrystal’s Afghanistan command seems bizarre to say the least. I can’t imagine any Public Affairs Officer in the US Army thinking that this was a good media opportunity. This was like shooting fish in a barrel for Rolling Stone reporter Michael Hastings. I’m sure the word “off the record” was mentioned to Hastings many time, but as we know “off the record” oft means you’re now “on the record.”
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Steam Heat Synergy
I end the week with a pretty cool video that hopefully will inspire you as a PIO to try just a little bit harder and go just a little bit further.
We all learned during our Firefighter I that when water converts from liquid to vapor at 212°F, it expands 1,700 times its volume. Water can only be as hot as 212ºF, but steam reaches thousands of degrees in temperature, which can not only be potentially fatal to us but also very uncomfortable and often the cause of serious injury. That one degree difference should always be on our mind when it comes to ventilation tactics and nozzle choice.
That one extra degree to steam can make a world of difference in how we react on the fireground and the potential outcome.
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Stock Photos can increase your PR value
Towards the top of my “to do” list is a push to increase the number of generic photos in my files. Generic shots would include all of our apparatus, photos of Chiefs, training and fireground shots etc.
As any editor will tell you, a release with a photo has a much higher chance of being used and could elevate your story from a few column centimeters on an inside page to a more prominent position and possibly the front page. This just happened to a story about a member in my department.
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A recent Post plays Out
Talk about timing. Just yesterday morning I posted about the three quick decisions I have to make as a firefighter/PIO when I arrive at a scene. They were, perform the duties of a firefighter if manpower is lacking, perform my normal duties as the PIO, or watch to see the scene unfold to determine where I can best serve. I also mentioned that I occasionally go behind the lines to interact with bystanders. Little did I know that just a few hours later I would have to use all three options when we were toned out to a fully involved house fire.
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As a PIO I try to Fill the Void
When we arrive at a scene I traditionally have to make one of three quick decisions –perform the duties of a firefighter if manpower is lacking, perform my normal duties as the PIO, or watch to see the scene unfold to determine where I can best serve. In a volunteer department all bets are off relating to PIO responsibilities when we are short handed on the fireground.
There are many times I am at the scene of a fire with sufficient manpower and no press on site where I opt for the third choice and go behind the lines to interact with bystanders. I do this for several reasons –
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Public Information goes both ways
A fire incident in my own town, created serious circumstances that could have easily become deadly serious. While we strive to be as transparent as we can with the public, it is also the responsibility of citizens to be transparent with us, especially when potentially deadly conditions exist on the fireground.
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LiveU gives the electronic media quicker access to going live on the fire ground
The critical eye of the electronic media will view us in greater real time as more and more outlets start using the LiveU system. The system bridges the bandwidth gap needed for live video transmission by "bonding" together multiple cell phone circuits, and according to many news outlets, could substantially reduce the cost of newsgathering and increase their amount of live coverage at breaking scenes.
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FDNY early video & audio: Brooklyn 2nd alarm apartment fire. Citizen: ‘You’ve been here 10 minutes. Where’s the water?’