Fireground Support Operations (1st Edition)
Chapter 2 - Firefighter Survival
Test Review
NOTICE: STORY-BASED ENTRIES/DISCUSSIONS IN THIS CHAPTER ARE NOT INCLUDED IN NOTES
§ Safety of personnel is dependent on adequate size-up, risk/benefit analysis, safe/effective strategies and tactics, personnel accountability, rapid intervention crews, rehab units, and escape techniques.
§ Priorities that apply to any emergency response include: Life Safety, Incident Stabilization, and Property Conservation.
§ Life safety is always highest priority (includes people, responders, pets, livestock).
§ Phoenix Fire Department Model: Begin every response with assumption that a positive outcome will be made, Risk lives a lot to save savable lives, Risk lives a little to save property, and NOT risk lives to save lives/property already lost.
§ Additional factors of the Phoenix F.D. Model include: respond quickly, take care of problem, be nice, and come back safe (emergency and non-emergency).
§ Vent early and often is part of the Phoenix F.D. key safety behaviors.
§ Communication is one of the most important safety behaviors on any emergency.
§ One of the most fundamental rules of firefighter survival is that "everyone looks out for everyone else".
§ The purpose of an accountability system is to ensure that only those who are authorized to enter a hazardous area are allowed to do so.
§ In typical accountability systems, a designated person ensures personnel entering have PASS activated, and also records name, company, SCBA pressure, assignment, and estimated safe working time.
§ With some accountability systems, a name tag (AKA passport) is left with the designated person when entering the hazard area.
§ The Personnel Accountability Report (PAR) is an organized on-scene roll call in which each supervisor reports the status of his crew when requested.
§ A PAR may be requested at specified intervals or when a benchmark event occurs such as change in attack mode, unexpected/catostrophic events, or fire control/extinguishment.
§ PARs may also be requested at the Safety Officer's discretion.
§ Using an accountability system on the fireground requires SOPs, training, and enforcement of SOPs on the system.
§ The added weight of live and dead loads increases collapse potential.
§ The hazard zone is defined by OSHA as an IDLH environment whenever an interior fire is beyond the incipient (early growth) stage.
§ Emergency escape techniques are sometimes called "self-rescue".
§ Skip breathing allows prolonged use of SCBA cylinder capacity.
§ Trapped responders should use radio to transmit Mayday, activate PASS, and shine flashlight toward ceiling.
§ When a trapped firefighter is wearing SCBA, rescuers should take space SCBA cylinder with them when searching.
§ If a trapped firefighter's SCBA is equipped with Emergency Escape Breathing Support System (EEBSS), a fitting is found on the harness to allow refilling with another cylinder.
§ Never share facepieces.
§ When lost in a fire building, with no contact with other firefighters, locate hoseline and follow out (male coupling closest to exit), crawl in straight line and in one direction (left or right), and call out and make noise.
§ following a hoseline out of a structure.
§ If emergent exiting of a window is not possible, straddle the window and call for help.
§ Do not drop PPE out of window to get someone's attention.
§ For emergency egress from doors, feel for heat prior to opening, and once open, feel around for contents (may be closet).
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