Wednesday, February 16, 2011  On Sunday, January 9, 2011, a veteran Los Angeles Fire Department Captain sustained serious injuries when anexplosion occured within a burning sedan
in the 500 block of Solano Avenue near the Arroyo Seco Parkway in Elysian Park.

The injured Fire Captain was transported to the closest trauma center, where he was admitted for a fractured skull with cerebral bleed, non-life threatening internal injuries and a small partial thickness burn to his right hand.

We are pleased to report that the injured Captain was released from the hospital on January 14, 2011. He is projected to remain off-duty for approximately two months.

On January 12, 2011, the Los Angeles Fire Department disseminated the official LAFD Blue Sheet, a preliminarysummary report for this incident, as well as unretouched photos from the scene.

At the conclusion of a detailed investigation, we are now pleased to share the official LAFD Green Sheet, a formal summary report issued by our agency for serious injuries, illnesses, accidents or near-miss incidents involving active duty personnel.

This report is intended as a safety and training tool, to aid in preventing future occurrences and to inform interested parties.
NOTE: Because LAFD Blue and Green Sheets are developed in a short time frame, the information they contain is subject to revision as further investigation ensues and additional information is developed. We therefore strongly suggest linking to this blog post or embedding the source document below to assure you are always reading the most current version.
 

 

Friday, February 11, 2011  The Bridgeport Fire Department has been charged with five serious state safety violations in the July 24 blaze that killed two firefighters.

The Connecticut Department of Labor's Division of Occupational Safety and Health found the department did not perform tests on the firefighters' breathing gas tanks; failed to conduct medical evaluations and ensure air masks fit properly; did not ensure firefighters wore breathing equipment inside the burning building and failed to follow "mayday" rescue procedures.

Fire Chief Brian Rooney said the department is challenging all five violations. He said fire officials will be meeting with CONN-OSHA Monday in Wethersfield.

Meanwhile, the chief said, the department is refraining from commenting while a separate investigation by the state fire marshal's office is in progress. That investigation should be completed in April, he said.

The fire on Elmwood Avenue resulted in the deaths of Lt. Steven Velasquez and firefighter Michel Baik. The state medical examiner's office stated Baik died from smoke inhalation complicated by a heart condition and that Velasquez died from smoke inhalation and asphyxia.

It was later discovered that the third-floor living area was an illegal apartment and had likely not been inspected by fire officials in many years.

Experts in workplace safety said the safety agency's citations, if upheld, are a serious matter.

"What the state found was specific violations of its regulations," said H. James Pickerstein, a Fairfield lawyer who was involved in the investigation of the Middletown gas plant explosion. "These are fairly clear-cut violations."

Martin J. O'Connor, the former New Haven fire chief and now a professor of fire sciences at the University of New Haven, said, "These findings are serious. They give the Bridgeport Fire Department a punch list of corrections that need to be made."

But O'Connor doubted that these violations changed the tragic outcome.

"These same violations could probably have been found against my department and any other department," he said. "It doesn't mean it's an indictment of the way the department works. It is a requirement that regulations be tightened up."

`THE MILLION-DOLLAR QUESTION'

The state inspection of the fire began last July 28 and ended Jan. 20, according to the CONN-OSHA citation. If the charges are affirmed, each of the five violations would carry a $1,000 penalty.

In the citation sent to the fire department dated Jan. 24, all five violations were classified as "serious." However, the report gives no specific details of how the state regulations were violated on that day.

For instance, the state found the department violated standard operating procedures in ensuring the way mayday calls were verified by both the Incident Command System on scene and the dispatch center. The state agency recommended that all fire department employees be retrained on mayday operating procedures.

"Failure to follow standard operating procedure might have fallen victim to the emotion at the scene," said O'Connor.

He said the key is to ensure that both ICS and dispatch heard a mayday call and are on the same page in responding.

"When you have two fallen firefighters inside a burning building everyone wants to run in," O'Connor said.

In a Friday interview, Carlos Reyes, assigned to the Beechmont Avenue fire station, recalled that he did exactly that.

He said he was behind the building burning when he heard a mayday call over his radio and was inside in eight to 10 seconds.

But the only help Reyes could offer, he said, was to pull the already-dead firefighter's bodies out.

That led another firefighter standing near him to suggest that maybe it wasn't the first mayday call.

"That's the million-dollar question," Reyes replied.

Jeffrey Morrissette, the administrator of the Connecticut Fire Academy, believes that given the noise and confusion at a fire scene, it's better for a department to rely on its dispatch center to assess and broadcast mayday calls.

Probably the most significant finding is the city's failure to conduct medical evaluation on those firefighters required to enter burning buildings wearing a self-contained breathing apparatus.

"All firefighters love their job, but I truly believe this is a young man's profession," said O'Connor. "Once firefighters approach their 50s they have to start realizing their limitations."

Morrissette said the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has set standards for the doctors performing firefighters' physicals as well as the type of medical testing to be done. The NFPA recommends a whole range of medical and agility tests and suggests cardio-vascular tests be conducted more frequently after the firefighter reaches his 40s.

While Bridgeport conducts annual physicals for firefighters, it does not conduct agility or fitness tests.

In Baik's case an autopsy uncovered a pre-existing heart condition.

TESTING THE EQUIPMENT

Two of the citations referred in part to equipment -- testing air cylinders and making sure the respirator on the breathing apparatus fits a firefighters.

Regarding the hydrostatic testing of air cylinders, Morrissette said, there are guidelines requiring how many years cylinders may go untested based on their construction material. For instance, those made of kevlar require testing every five years.

"It's a dangerous test," Morrissette said. "The Department of Transportation has a list of approved vendors that conduct the test in a safe and controlled environment. These are pressurized bottles that could explode."

However, Morrissette recommended that at the beginning of every shift a firefighter should conduct a visual inspection of his equipment.

"They could make sure the container is full, it's not leaking and there are no signs of significant damage," he said.

O'Connor said the way the mask fits on a firefighters face is important.

"If a firefighter has surgery or lost weight, the way the mask fits will change," he said.

Morrissette said the appropriate test for this takes about 10 minutes and involves the firefighter participating in activities like talking, turning his head, bending down, carrying equipment and running in place.

A `MACHO MENTALITY'

Craig Kelly, a retired Bridgeport fire lieutenant, was on his way to his father's house near Elmwood Avenue on July 24 when he saw fire trucks racing by. Kelly went to the fire scene.

"It was an awfully hot day," he recalled. "What struck me was there was no ice at the scene. Guys were exhausted. I could see their bodies needed to be cooled down," Kelly said. "I went to a nearby supermarket and must have bought 200 pounds of ice, which I brought back."

Were firefighters taking their masks off inside the burning building?

"That doesn't come as a surprise to me," said Donald Day, a retired Bridgeport fire captain. "I call that the macho cowboy mentality."

Day said this happens when the fire is out and overhaul work like looking for hot spots is being done.

"I'd tell my guys, `Don't buy into that macho mentality. Leave it on for your own health,'" he said. "Studies tell us that there are particles in the air from burning things like burning plastics, and they are harmful to the lungs."

But O'Connor said he could understand an officer allowing a firefighter who has been sweating inside for an hour or two to take off the mask and hang it off his respirator.

"I've seen it, I've done it, its not good practice but I understand why it happens," he said.

`A LOT HAS BEEN DONE'

Adam Wood, chief of staff to Mayor Bill Finch, said the department already has moved to address the citations in the report.

"Since then each of these issues have either already been addressed such as the timely conducting of physicals, hydrostatically testing of breathing air bottles, (and) fit-testing policy procedure," said Wood.

Changes to the city's mayday policy are also being addressed, he said.

Both Velasquez, 41, and Baik, 49, were Bridgeport residents. Baik would have celebrated his 50th birthday last August and was the department's oldest rookie.

Reached at home, David Dobbs, vice president of the city's fire union, said he was informed of OSHA's findings this week. "A lot has been done but we need to make sure it continues to be done," said Dobbs, who was out sick this week. "What we need is all the agencies involved to be fully committed and have full disclosure."

"We remain committed to any step that can be taken to make sure changes happen," Dobbs said. "It's very real for us. It (the loss) hasn't gotten easier for us."

 

Tuesday, September 28, 2010  A Firefighter/Paramedic died in the Line of Duty and a FF/Paramedic was injured earlier this year when caught in a residential structure flashover.

HERE is the final report: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face201010.html  
 
 

Thursday, August 26, 2010  “The organization is ethically and morally obligated to put an EMS program in place that is supported by the organization, and given the standardized training and equipment to make the program succeed.” ~ Senior Firefighter/Paramedic, Sawtooth Helitack Crew

READ THE REPORT HERE:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/36437523/Deer-Park-Firefighter-Injury-Helicopter-Incident-Facilitated-Learning-Analysis

 

Saturday, May 22, 2010  Firefighters injured while attempting to rescue a city worker who fell into a manhole did not exercise proper caution when entering a confined space, according to an investigative report released Friday, May 21.

The nine-page report — completed by Jeff Galloway, director of the Butler County Emergency Management Agency — was obtained by The Journal through a public records request. The report concluded that units dispatched to the manhole outside of Air Products & Chemicals, 2500 Yankee Road, “possibly overlooked the confined space danger.

“Members of the Middletown Division of Fire should move forward from this incident as a learning tool. ... The fact that two members nearly perished and one city worker lost his life performing his job is clear evidence that confined space incidents are a clear danger and should be handled as such,” the report stated.

Fire Capt. Todd Wissemeier, 44, a 20-year veteran of the fire department; Fire Marshal Bob Hess, 47; and firefighter Thomas Allen each were hospitalized after breathing fumes inside the manhole while trying to rescue Jabin Lakes, 31, the city worker who was killed.

Galloway said the firefighters were doing what they thought was right to save a man’s life, because they thought he was still alive, but acknowledged they missed some precautions in their rush. “Those guys, they went in there and tried to save a life,” he said.

The EMA recommended that the fire department revise its policy on confined space entry; implement a procedure for monthly calibration of all department gas meters; and consider using the county Technical Rescue Team on future calls.

Les Landen, Middletown Law Director, said he and Fire Chief Steve Botts have received the report but have not yet had a chance to review and discuss next steps.



In rush to aid city worker, rescue crews may have jeopardized their own lives

A new report on the response by the Middletown fire department to a deadly incident inside an manhole shows that while firefighters rushed to save a life, they nearly put their own in jeopardy.

The report, obtained from the Butler County Emergency Management Agency through a public records request, outlines the scene where Jabin Lakes, 31, was killed while inspecting a manhole near Air Products & Chemicals and what led up to the hospitalization of three firefighters who tried to rescue him.

On May 7, just after the clock struck 8 a.m., Middletown police dispatchers received a call from a city worker at 2500 Yankee Road reporting Lakes had fallen into a manhole and was unconscious. His injuries were unknown. Less than five minutes later, fire crews arriving on scene found an open manhole with a victim — ashen in color and unconscious — about 20 feet down at the bottom of the sewer cavity.

Fire department District Chief Tom Snively said he could see Lakes taking only about three breaths a minute, his eyes open and pupils fixed. That’s when the crews began setting up ropes and harnesses for entry into the manhole, according to the EMA report.

Fire Capt. Todd Wissemeier stepped over to the manhole with a department gas meter, went down on one knee, stuck the device into the sewer cavity about an arm’s length deep, and took an air reading. The information indicated it was normal, so the captain decided to enter the hole using the harness, tucking the meter into his belt as he proceeded down.

As Wissemeier entered — less than eight minutes after receiving the call from Lakes’ co-workers — Fire Marshall Bob Hess had arrived on scene. According to the EMA, a medic asked Hess to retrieve an air pack just as Wissemeier proceeded down the storm drain and was heard saying “I see how this guy fell,” before falling unconscious just three to four feet below the surface. He began descending further down the hole.

Crews rushed to help firefighter Tom Allen, who was securing Wissemeier’s harness, as he tried to hoist him to the surface. Hess “leaned into the opening mid-sternum” to prevent Wissemeier’s head from hitting the side of the manhole, and within 45 seconds, he was unconscious and also falling down the hole.

It’s then that Middletown police Sgt. Chris Alfrey grabbed Hess’ belt and pulled him back to the surface. Others on scene were able to pull the captain out “after several minutes,” according to the report.

According to accounts by Snively and a medic on scene, Wissemeier’s gas monitor “was flashing in 'alarm’ mode when he was brought to the surface.”

Both Wissemeier and Hess were in respiratory distress and their skin was turning blue when they were pulled from the manhole, according to the EMA report.

Jeff Galloway, county EMA director, said while the firefighters made mistakes during the rescue attempt, “they believed they were doing the right thing.

“They just overlooked a couple of valuable things that had to do with confined spaces before they made this entry into the manhole opening,” he said. “But they were performing their job.”

Galloway also said that nitrogen, which the investigation has shown was the gas displacing the oxygen inside the manhole, rarely can be found in sewer drains in such concentrations.

City Law Director Les Landen said after reviewing the EMA report, there has not yet been an “organizational discussion” on what steps may be taken following the incident. He said it would be up to Fire Chief Steve Botts to decide whether any disciplinary actions would be taken, and likely no decisions would be made until the city is assured the nitrogen leak has been resolved.

Air Products & Chemicals, which has found leaks in two nitrogen lines running between its facility and AK Steel Corp., is currently making repairs, he said.




 

Tuesday, May 18, 2010  The first report on the Dec. 29 (2010) explosion that killed St. Anna Firefighter Steven "Peanut" Koeser in the Line of Duty is linked below. The fire and explosion also injured eight other Firefighters that night. Without question, we feel this could have happened to literally ANY of us at any FD and emphasizes the need to pre-plan - as well as understand that literally anything can be in a dumpster-and our size-up, plans and actions must reflect that.

While the NIOSH report will be out soon, the state of Wisconsin Fire Marshal’s Office and the Calumet County Sheriff’s Department states that the dumpster contained aluminum alloy shavings and 55-gallon steel barrels of aluminum oxide dross, or slag.

The report (below) on the LODD is based upon the statements of St. Anna Fire Chief Robert Thome, who was one of the first to arrive. Chief Thome saw an 18-inch “cherry red” hotspot at the base of the trash bin. Using a ladder to look inside the bin, he noticed one barrel that appeared to be very hot and saw sparks coming from aluminum shavings and other materials that were burning. Firefighters sprayed water on the contents, which produced a lot of steam and bluish-green flames. Chief Thome requested then that foam be added to the hose stream, but that intensified the production of sparks. Chief Thome began to signal for the foam to be stopped, and as he was turning away from the Dumpster, the explosion occurred.

The explosion peeled back a wall of the dumpster. Eight 55-gallon barrels were found around the damaged container, and two barrels were found inside. Investigators discovered several holes in the side of the bin where the steel had melted through.

One MSDS sheet about the involved materials says “may become unstable at high temperatures.” Safety instructions for these specific aluminum casting alloys caution against using water or moist sand during firefighting. The instructions say a "fire or explosion may occur when material is in the form of dust and exposed to heat or flames, chemical reaction, or contact with powerful oxidizers.”

The instructions conclude, “Never put water on molten metal — it will explode.”

Another sheet recommends for fires involving aluminum fines or chips, firefighters should use dry sand or Class D (combustible metals) extinguishing agents. “Do not use water or other liquids, foams or halogenated extinguishing agents,” it says. Or, depending upon conditions, it may be best to let it burn and clear the area. Depending upon conditions and resources.
 
Pre-planning of commercial and industrial buildings can help but never completely solve the questions related to "what's in that dumpster."  We never know.
HERE is the report:
http://www.doj.state.wi.us/news/files/StAnnaFirefighterDeath.pdf
 

Thursday, April 29, 2010 
Courtesy of WildlandFire.com

Click this link for the report on the Station Fire which resulted in the LODD's of Fire Captain Ted Hall, Superintendent 16, and Fire Fighter Specialist Arnie Quinones, Foreman Crew 16-3

www.wildlandfire.com/docs/2010/lessons-learned/camp16Ssair.pdf


 

 

Saturday, August 8, 2009  On April 04, 2008, 37-year-old Colerain Township Fire Captain Robin Broxterman and 29-year-old Fire Fighter were killed in The Line of Duty when a section of floor collapsed and trapped them in the basement during a fire at a residential structure. At 0611 hours, an automatic alarm dispatched the fire department. Dispatch upgraded the alarm to a working structure fire 9 minutes later. At 0623 hours, the victims’ engine was the first to arrive on scene. The homeowner met the engine crew and stated that the fire was in the basement and everyone was out. With moderate smoke showing, the captain and the fire fighter donned their self-contained breathing apparatus and entered the residence through the opened front door with a 1¾” hoseline. A second fire fighter joined the captain and fire fighter at the basement stairs doorway. After the captain called for water several times, the line was charged and both fire fighters took the hoseline to the bottom of the stairs but needed additional hoseline to advance. The second fire fighter went back up the stairs to pull more hose at the front door. As he returned to the basement stairway, he saw the captain at the top of the stairs, trying to use her radio and telling him to get out. A captain from the second arriving engine noticed the smoke getting black, heavy, and pushing out the front door and requested the incident commander (IC) to evacuate the interior crew. The second fire fighter exited the structure alone. The IC made several attempts to contact the interior crew with no response. At 0637 hours, the IC sent out a “Mayday.” A rapid intervention team was activated and followed the hoseline through the front door and down to the basement. Returning to the first floor, they noticed a collapsed section of floor and went to investigate the debris in that area of the basement. At 0708 hours, the captain was found near a corner of the basement. At 0729 hours, after removing debris from around the captain, the other fire fighter was located underneath her and some additional debris. Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene.  The report provides details that all Fire Officers and Fire Fighters can learn from including several 
Key contributing factors identified in this investigation including that the initial 360-degree size-up was incomplete, likely disorientation of victims effecting key survival skills, radio communication problems, well-involved basement fire before the department’s arrival, and potential fire growth from natural gas utilities.
HERE is a link to that report: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face200809.html
 

Sunday, June 28, 2009  The NFPA has released their report about Firefighter Fatalities in the U.S. 2008.  Rita Fahy, one of the authors, has recently done a podcast if you would like to check it out.  There is also one that Mike Karter has done on the Patterns of Firefighter Fireground Injuries.

http://feeds2.feedburner.com/NFPApodcast
 
PLEASE TAKE NOTE TO AVOID CONFUSION:
...the NFPA calculates LODD's differently that the United States Fire Administration and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation:
The way the NFPA looks at on-duty (LODD) deaths shows 103 Firefighter LODD's. On the other hand, the USFA's report stated that there were 114 on-duty firefighter fatalities during the same time period.
Based upon the NFPA's determination on an on duty LODD in 2008, a total of 103 on-duty firefighter deaths occurred in the U.S. This is the same number of deaths (using the NFPA calculations) as occurred in the U.S. in 2007, and the fourth time in the last 10 years that the annual total has been 103. The largest share of deaths (39 deaths) occurred while firefighters were responding to or returning from emergency calls. This includes a single incident which resulted in nine deaths. Stress, exertion, and other medical-related issues, which usually result in heart attacks or other sudden cardiac events, continued to account for the largest number of fatalities.
 

Monday, April 27, 2009  Accoriding to a eport by the Orange County Fire Authority related to last November's devastating Freeway Complex fire, firefighters disregarded orders and put others and themselves at risk, a report released Thursday said.

In the midst of a fire that raced through three canyons and directly into Yorba Linda, off-duty crews commandeered fire engines, driving engines into the firefight without telling superiors what they were doing or where they were going.

Firefighters put themselves and others at risk and handcuffed firefighting options when they failed to follow their chain of command, the report said.
 

The revelations are part of a 128-page report by the Fire Authority that looks at the successes and failures during the Freeway Complex fire and suggests how the county's largest firefighting agency can improve its capabilities in the future.

A total of 203 homes – 117 in Yorba Linda – were destroyed, in the "most catastrophic loss of homes in Orange County since the Laguna Fire in 1993," the report said. An additional 117 residences were damaged, and more than 40,000 people were forced from their homes in the largest fire in Orange County since 1948.

But no one died or was seriously injured, and hundreds of homes were saved by the efforts of more than 3,800 firefighters, the report said.

Three weeks before the Freeway Complex fire broke out Nov. 15, local firefighters held a tabletop exercise that closely resembled the actual fire, giving officials a jump on strategy and tactics.

When the real blaze struck, Battalion Chief Rick Reeder raced from his fire station in Placentia to the fire, calling for extra engines and aircraft miles before he saw flames. Traffic along the 91 freeway could not keep up with the fast-moving head of the fire. A second blaze broke out in Brea less than two hours later, creating a monster.

Four days later, firefighters had reigned in the 30,305-acre blaze.

Of $16.1 million spent to fight the fires, all but $33,000 was reimbursed by state and federal funds. The fires caused an estimated $150 million in damage. The cause of the Corona end of the fire was ruled an accidental spark from a car exhaust along the 91 freeway at Green River. The Brea fire had been sparked by downed powered lines.

Fire officials credited staging of equipment and crews ahead of time, recent tabletop exercises and changes in the state's mutual aid system for a quick response. Within the first four hours of the fire, 159 engines, three trucks, five water tenders, eight helicopters and 10 air tankers were attacking the flames. Forty-one engines were there within the first hour, the report said. But issues with communication and water supply hampered firefighting efforts.

After hundreds of interviews and reviewing hundreds of documents and thousands of radio transmissions, the authors of the postmortem report came up with a wish list of 56 changes, improvements and upgrades.

The major recommendations include improving radio communications, training crews in battling house fires near wildland areas, working with local water agencies to identify and rectify weaknesses in water systems, and developing a rapid-mobilization plan in large-scale emergency situations.

Nearly 18 months after the Santiago fire raced through Orange County's canyons, tight economic times have forced the Fire Authority to postpone several major recommendations after that fire, including replacing its part-time hand crew with a full-time crew and adding a fourth firefighter to wildland engines to meet federal standards. The same recommendations were echoed in the Freeway Complex review.

While several recommendations have been completed or are under way, the ones that cost money, including staffing increases, will likely have to wait. But Fire Chief Chip Prather implored the Fire Authority's board of directors to approve funding as soon as funding was available for the fourth-man staffing and a hand crew, staffing increases he said are imperative to maintaining firefighting safety and effectiveness.

"We have to balance out our No. 1 responsibility, which is public safety, with our responsibility to the taxpayer," Battalion Chief Kris Concepcion said. "As soon as it is economically feasible, we will implement them."

Problems plagued the firefighting effort from the start.

The plan was to pinch off the fire early. But hundreds of gallons of water destined to be dropped by helicopters on the fire had to be diverted and dropped on a Corona fire engine crew that had been overrun by flames after going off-road to try to fight the flames. The Corona crew's decision placed them in a "dangerous position," between the fast-moving fire and unburned brush, the report said. The crew was saved, but flames raced west toward Yorba Linda, throwing embers more than a mile in front of the fire.

"It's an angry fire, and it's not getting any happier," Reeder said. "Are we going to stop it? No. How do we want it and what can we do to make it come into Yorba Linda the way we want it to?"

Two strike teams – a total of 10 fire engines – were ordered by Reeder to stage at Station 53 on East La Palma in Yorba Linda to get ahead of the fire. "In my mind, what was burning in Corona was already done," Reeder said. "It was not the piece to worry about."

Strike team leaders ignored Reeder's order, self-dispatching instead to Corona, the report said. With the original order unfilled, strike teams did not arrive into Yorba Linda until 11 a.m. – nearly 2 hours later. The first Yorba Linda house was already burning.

Command officers have a "certain amount of latitude," Concepcion said. "They must have thought there was something more pressing in Corona," he said.

Fire stations were emptied to fight the Laguna fire in 1993, but entire OCFA battalions were left fully staffed during the Freeway Complex fire, officials said.

"We had two fires burning close to each other, and we didn't know what caused them," Concepcion said. Extra strike teams were ordered from other counties, but it took time for them to arrive.

Off-duty Fire Authority crews were mounting their own defenses, hijacking three engines and heading to the firefight, creating serious safety and accountability issues. Command staff scrambling for extra engines to send to the firefight spent up to 12 hours trying to find the maverick engines, the report said.

"These firefighters are heroes," Fire Authority union President Joe Kerr said. "These firefighters came in off-duty to try to do everything they could to save homes. A lot of homes were saved because of them. You're not going to find more dedication than that."

"We take crew accountability very seriously," Concepcion said. "We want to make sure this never happens again."

The involved firefighters have been interviewed but were not disciplined, Kerr said.

The fire chief and the union plan to send a letter to its employees reminding them that department rules and regulations need to be followed, even during a disaster. Even though the crews were not assigned to work, they were paid, Concepcion said.

Wages are paid at time and a half for nonscheduled workdays. A preliminary report made no mention of the rogue crews.

The fire moved fast.

Santa Ana winds up to 60 mph sent flames hurtling over steep, dry hills – and on a direct path to Yorba Linda. The fire consumed the length of nearly 14 football fields every 60 seconds. More than 10,000 acres burned in the first 12 hours, taking with it hundreds of homes and buildings.

City and county officials failed to activate an automatic telephone alert system. The first calls telling residents to flee the fire didn't go out until after 4 p.m., nearly three hours after the Fire Authority issued a news release stating a "raging wildfire" had destroyed homes in Anaheim Hills, Brea and Yorba Linda.

Dozens of homes continued to burn in Yorba Linda around 2 p.m. as firefighters were also forced to battle low water pressure and dry hydrants on Hidden Hills Road and surrounding streets, the report said.

One strike team leader told Fire Authority Chief Prather that his crews could have saved five to six homes of the dozens of homes burned in the Hidden Hills neighborhood. But without water, the team's five engines were forced to move to lower ground. There, they found hydrants with water and made a stand against the blaze.

Fire Authority water tenders were called in to shuttle water to crews. But the pressure problems also hindered the tenders' efforts, Prather said. Some of the depletion of water pressure was directly attributed to engines drawing thousands of gallons of water a minute from hydrants simultaneously as they desperately dumped water on dozens of homes burn... [ more ]  

Friday, April 17, 2009  This is a comprehensive significant injury investigation report performed by the Montgomery County (MD) Fire and Rescue Service in Maryland

Around 1:30 a.m. on October 2, 2008,  E703 (Rockville) was sent to the 200 block of  Frederick Ave., in Rockville for the report of a transformer on fire. Upon arrival they discovered smoke coming from a house located at 219 Frederick Ave. and called for assistance. .  E703 reported a basement fire with fire showing from a basement window.   A ‘House fire’ dispatch assignment and a ‘RID’ (Rapid Intervention Dispatch) was dispatched.  Upon the arrival of other units from FS03 on the scene, an interior attack was initiated by E703 and a Rescue Group was established with a subsequent search of the house performed.  During the search efforts a member from RS703 (the driver) fell through the first floor over the room of origin and into the fire below.  A ‘mayday’ was initiated for the trapped firefighter, and a ‘Task Force’ assignment was requested.  The trapped firefighter was able to self extricate himself from the basement. The injured firefighter was treated on the scene and transported to the Washington Hospital Center, Med Star Burn Unit.  He was hospitalized for an extended period.

The cause of the fire is under investigation and damage is estimated to be $270,000. The fire is believed to have originated in the basement.


The report containS 50 recommendations dealing with - Fire Ground Operations, Risk vs. Benefit Analysis, Accountability, Mayday, Communications, Personnel Training & Certification, Equipment, PPE/SCBA......should be publicly available around on Friday on County website and elsewhere.

 

Wednesday, April 8, 2009  Volusia County (FL) County fire officials called it a "freak accident" but state investigators said the death of Volusia County firefighter John Curry during a training exercise was a result of improperly trained firefighters and an unsafe workplace, a report released (see link on this page) shows.

The inquiry into Curry's November 2007 death from a falling tree was done by the state's Bureau of Fire Training & Standards.


The investigation found both Curry and other firefighters -- new members of a unit within the fire department charged with battling forest fires and known as the Firewalkers -- received an abridged version of training rather than the entire package required by the National Wildlife Coordinating Group and the Division of Forestry, the investigation states.


Curry and other new Firewalkers, who had never been on a tree-felling exercise, received some classroom instruction that day before heading out into the field. But the investigation found the classroom instruction time was cut in half -- from four hours to two.

"This team did not utilize the entire training package created by the National Wildlife Coordinating Group," state investigators said. "Instead, they presented a much shorter version including the video and a short discussion period.

"The experienced members supervising the newer members (of the Firewalkers team) were not prepared for an unusual circumstance with fatal consequences."

The 30-year-old Curry was killed by a pine tree that landed on his back. The tree was more than 40 feet tall with a diameter of about 18 inches.

Curry had been assigned to be a swamper and another firefighter was the sawyer. The sawyer is assigned to cut and drop the tree, while the swamper is supposed to watch the top of the tree and tell the sawyer what direction it is leaning as it starts to fall.

Because of the way the sawyer made his cuts, the tree began turning counterclockwise, which caused it to move 135 degrees from the spot where it was supposed to land, the investigation shows. As that was happening, the training instructor was already running down the escape route, the report states.
Curry meanwhile, left the sawyer behind and began bolting down the escape route also, not realizing the tree was already falling in that direction.

"There was no one at the tree to assess the quality and accuracy of the sawyer's cuts, assure the safety of sawyer and swamper, or prevent the victim from running down the escape route to his death," the investigators wrote.

By the time Curry reached the end of the escape route, the tree had already come crashing down on his back, the report states.

The state issued a notice of violation to county Fire Chief Jim Tauber. The notice is designed to allow Tauber and his department to remedy the violations that led to Curry's death.

In a safety violations report dated March 12 that was attached to the investigative report, the state is requiring the county to provide training commensurate to each firefighter and supervisor's task. Furthermore, the county is required to provide documentation showing that all Firewalkers completed the courses required for their job.

Volusia County spokesman Dave Byron said county officials had "thoroughly reviewed" the investigative report and would implement the recommendations. Byron said he could not comment on the training exercise or why procedures were not followed.

Geoff Bichler , an Orlando-based attorney representing Curry's widow, Kristen, said he intends to file a wrongful death claim against the county.

"The only thing they (the county) gave the poor guy was a two-hour video and a chain saw," the attorney said. "The county clearly failed Mr. Curry in every way."
 

Tuesday, April 7, 2009  Saturday, April 4, 2008: The
Line of Duty Deaths of 2 Ohio Firefighters.
 
On Friday, April 4, 2008, Captain Robin Broxterman, 37-years-old, a 17-year veteran career firefighter and paramedic, and Firefighter Brian Schira, 29-years-old, a six-month probationary, part-time firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician with Colerain Township (Ohio) Fire & EMS died in the Line of Duty after the floor they were on collapsed into the burning basement at that dwelling fire.  
 
There is ONE IMPORATNT way that ANY Firefighter and Fire Officer can remember them:
 
Following that tragic loss, the Colerain Township Fire/EMS Department issued a preliminary report (link below) with initial and valuable details on what happened based upon the information available at the time.
Critical details such as the importance of size-up, 360 walk around and other information is of great value to any Firefighter and Officer.  A more in-depth final report is being developed and is expected to be released later this year along with the NIOSH report.
 
As stated in the preliminary report  “the department will never forget the ultimate sacrifice made by Captain Robin Broxterman and Firefighter Brain Schira in their service to the community.  By sharing the knowledge gained from this very tragic and painful incident, the Department will ensure their sacrifice was not in vain and hope that other fire departments can avoid a similar tragedy”….
 
Here is that preliminary report which has already proven to have lead to the saving of OTHER Firefighters lives:
http://www.coleraintwp.org/uploads/LODDPriliminaryReportFinalVersion4.pdf
 

Sunday, December 21, 2008  A recent fire known as "Harrow Court" claimed two young Ffs.  This was a fire in a block of flats and when crews arrived they found they had no water save for a 9 litre extinguisher.  Despite being told not to enter, they did and brought out alive one male occupant.  They then re-entered to rfecover a woman but before they could exit a flash over occured and they became trapped in cables that fell from the ceiling. All three died. These cables had been fixed in plastic ducting but not by anything else. Hence as the ducting deformed the cables fell.

HARROW COURT NATIONAL RECOMMENDATION No.1
 
Further to your request for an update on a specific matter I respond as follows:
 
 
1.      National Fire Safety Recommendation No.1: Provision should be made to inform all relevant stakeholders including Local Authorities, Housing Associations and other FRSs of the potential dangers associated with the lack of adequate securing of cables in trunking, particularly any which were installed to the 1988 British Standard.
Action to date: Meetings held with ACO Graham Stag (CFOA FSE Regional Lead Officer), Cath Reynolds (DCLG Fire Research Dept.) and CFO Ian Cox (CFOA FSE National Lead).
Letter dated 22/03/07 sent to CFO Ian Cox for discussion/action at CFOA FSE national committee.
Letter dated 22/03/07 written to BSI technical committee responsible for BS 5839 explaining the importance of securing cables and requesting greater emphasis is placed upon this within relevant standards. Meeting held on 16/05/07 with Colin Todd, BSI Committee member. As a result of this meeting, Colin Todd sent an email to John Fisher (BSI FSH/12/1 secretary) recommending that the forthcoming amendment to BS 5839 has a suitable enhancement of text relating to fire alarm cable support. Draft amendment of sub clause 26.1, 26.2(f) and 46.2(b)(5) was recommended for consideration by FSH 12/1 committee.
 
As a result of this work, BS 5839-1 has had amendments made on 31/03/08:
 
The current and latest edition of the fire detection and alarm standard is
BS 5839-1: 2002+A2: 2008. The following clauses relate to the changes made as a result of the Harrow Court recommendations:
 
26.1(A2)Commentary: Unless cables are supported in such a manner that they remain supported for the duration similar to that for which the cable itself can survive a fire, early failure of the circuit might occur because of strain on terminations as a result of collapsing cables.
 
26.2 Recommendations, (f) Note 9 (A2): Experience has shown that collapse of cables, supported only by plastic cable trunking, can create a serious hazard to firefighters, who could become entangled in cables.
 
46.2(b)(5): Note 2 (A2): Serious shortcomings in cable support that could result in collapse of a significant length of cable in the event of fire should also be regarded as a major non-compliance.
 
 

Tuesday, November 18, 2008  This is the Loudoun County Department of Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Management Significant Injury Investigative Report for 43238 Meadowood Court. The Department is sharing the Report in an effort to reduce and prevent firefighter injuries and Line of Duty Deaths (LODDs) across the County, regionally, statewide, and nationally.
On May 25, 2008, fire and rescue personnel from Loudoun County responded to a structure fire at 43238 Meadowood Court in Leesburg, Virginia. During the course of the incident, seven responders were injured. Of those injured, four firefighters received significant burn injuries, two firefighters sustained orthopedic injuries, and one EMS provider was treated for minor respiratory distress. To date, five of the injured personnel have returned to duty. Two firefighters continue to recover from their injuries, including one who was severely burned.
Given the severity of the injuries and magnitude of the event, an independent Investigative Team was assembled to review the incident. The Team was comprised of four Loudoun County personnel, three external members from area fire departments, and two resource/support personnel. The Team was tasked with reviewing “the events leading up to the incident, the incident operation(s), the firefighter MAYDAY(s), and incident mitigation.”
For three months, the Team thoroughly examined the events surrounding the Meadowood Court fire incident and identified the factors associated with the injury of personnel. The Report contains the results of the Investigative Team’s comprehensive review and analysis. All of the information presented is factual and was validated prior to inclusion in the document. Recommendations are provided throughout the Report in an effort to provide a framework to enhance and improve the Loudoun County Fire and Rescue System, as well as protect responder and citizen safety.