Chapter 14 Emergency Operations at Fires and Other Emergencies

1. Chapter 14Emergency Operations at Fires and Other Emergencies

2. Introduction • Personnel can be divide into two general areas, operations and support • Fundamental role of fire department is to respond to emergencies • Incident type determines which personnel will respond • Multiple agencies may show up at an incident to determine objectives, strategies, and tactics • Law enforcement and other agencies assist and sometimes command incidents with fire department

3. Learning Objective 1 • 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives • FIREFIGHTER LIFE SAFETY INITIATIVES • Cultural change • Personal and organizational accountability • Risk management • Stop unsafe practices • Training qualifications • Cont.

4. Learning Objective 1 • 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives • FIREFIGHTER LIFE SAFETY INITIATIVES • Medical and physical fitness standards • Data collection system • Utilize available technology • Investigate all firefighter fatalities • Safe practices • Cont.

5. Learning Objective 1 • 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives • FIREFIGHTER LIFE SAFETY INITIATIVES • Response policies and procedures • Response to violent incidents • Counseling and psychological support • Public education • Enforcement of codes • Apparatus and equipment

6. Learning Objective 1 • 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives • PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF THE 16 INITIATIVES • Duty and responsibility • Firefighter maintenance program • Rehab guidelines • Passengers when responding to incidents • Drivers responding to incidents • Interior firefighting

7. Learning Objective 1 • 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives • RAPID INTERVENTION TEAMS • Immediate rescue effort • Standing by in full PPE • Equipment and clothing same as entry team • Firefighter Assist and Search Teams (FAST)

8. Learning Objective 1 • 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives • TWO IN, TWO OUT • OSHA regulation • Applies to fires beyond ignition stage • Only exception is threat of imminent danger • Visual or voice contact at all times

9. Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 • Roles and Limitations of the Fire Department • Safety Considerations at Different Emergencies • STRUCTURE FIREFIGHTING • Basic responsibility of fire department • Structure loss to a minimum • Primary search • Coordinated attack • Cont.

10. Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 • Roles and Limitations of the Fire Department • Safety Considerations at Different Emergencies • STRUCTURE FIREFIGHTING • Ventilation issues • SCBA • Leather gloves and boots • Other building contents • Structural collapse • Cont.

11. Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 • Roles and Limitations of the Fire Department • Safety Considerations at Different Emergencies • STRUCTURE FIREFIGHTING • Clandestine drug lab • Flame and smoke indicators • Second way out • Do not freelance • High-rise firefighting • Electricity

12. Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 • Roles and Limitations of the Fire Department • Safety Considerations at Different Emergencies • SPRINKLERED OCCUPANCIES • Causes of unsatisfactory performance • Departments should establish SOPs • Check all valves • Turn off only portion in affected area for overhaul • Conduct investigation

13. Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 • Roles and Limitations of the Fire Department • Safety Considerations at Different Emergencies • ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS • Substations and vaults • High potential for electrocution • Fog patterns or short bursts • General rule; use electric company staff for guides • Without power, Class C fire reverts to A, B, D, or K

14. Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 • Roles and Limitations of the Fire Department • Safety Considerations at Different Emergencies • WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING • Basic methods of extinguishment • Backfire • Wildland safety • Ten Standing Fire Orders • 18 Situations That Shout Watch Out • Cont.

15. Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 • Roles and Limitations of the Fire Department • Safety Considerations at Different Emergencies • WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING • Common causes for tragedy and near-miss incidents • LCES • F LCES ∆ • Look up, look down, look around • Main message is safety

16. Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 • Roles and Limitations of the Fire Department • Safety Considerations at Different Emergencies • WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE/INTERMIX • Foothills and mountainous areas • Firefighters must be in the path of the advancing fire • Protect as many structures as possible • TRIAGE • PROTECTION

17. Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 • Roles and Limitations of the Fire Department • Safety Considerations at Different Emergencies • OIL FIREFIGHTING • Skill that needs to be developed • Extinguish fire and control leaks • Confine the fire and protect exposures • Should be accompanied by refinery employees

18. Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 • Roles and Limitations of the Fire Department • Safety Considerations at Different Emergencies • THREE MAIN PROBLEMS • Boil over • Slop over • Froth over • Tanks with a cone roof • Tanks with a floating roof

19. Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 • Roles and Limitations of the Fire Department • Safety Considerations at Different Emergencies • GASOLINE SPILLS • Requires that vapors be controlled • Should not enter area of spill • LIQUID PETROLEUM GAS (LPG) • Tanks are built to withstand high pressures • BLEVE

20. Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 • Roles and Limitations of the Fire Department • Safety Considerations at Different Emergencies • HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENTS • Becoming more common • Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act • Regular PPE not designed for hazardous materials • Isolate, identify, and deny entry • Set up perimeters • Cont.

21. Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 • Roles and Limitations of the Fire Department • Safety Considerations at Different Emergencies • HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENTS • Identify the material involved • After positive identification: • Diking or berming • Diverting • Controlling

22. Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 • Roles and Limitations of the Fire Department • Safety Considerations at Different Emergencies • WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION • Take human lives and cause panic and disruption • Chemical • Biological • Radioactive • Nuclear • Explosive

23. Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 • Roles and Limitations of the Fire Department • Safety Considerations at Different Emergencies • EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS) OPERATIONS • Exposure to bloodborne and airborne pathogens • Category 1 employees are at greatest risk for exposure • Personnel should have proper PPE • Universal precautions • Body substance isolation • Cont.

24. Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 • Roles and Limitations of the Fire Department • Safety Considerations at Different Emergencies • VEHICLE ACCIDENTS • Class B foam for spilled fuel • If spilled fuel, do not use power tools • VEHICLE FIRES • Can have all the hazards of a structure fire • Full PPE and SCBA should be worn

25. Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 • Roles and Limitations of the Fire Department • Safety Considerations at Different Emergencies • AIRCRAFT FIREFIGHTING • Aircraft present many different hazards • First priority, is to create a path • Make entry to the aircraft • Complete overhaul of the scene

26. Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 • Roles and Limitations of the Fire Department • Safety Considerations at Different Emergencies • EMS AND FIREFIGHTING WITH AIRCRAFT • Most common encounter with rescue is the helicopter • Rules for working around helicopters • Setting up a landing zone • Items pilot should be aware of • Planes or helicopters may drop • water or retardant

27. Learning Objective 5 • Firefighter Safety and Decision Making • CREW RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (CRM) • Assumes human error is primary cause for injuries • CRM based on five elements: • Communication • Situational awareness • Decision making • Teamwork • Barriers

28. Learning Objective 5 • Firefighter Safety and Decision Making • 2 & 7 TOOL • Two errors: • Underestimating hazards • Failing to notice changing conditions • Seven barriers • Inexperience • Cont.

29. Learning Objective 5 • Firefighter Safety and Decision Making • 2 & 7 TOOL • Getting too comfortable • Distraction from primary duty • Priorities out of order • Social influences • Stress reaction • Physical impairment

30. Summary • Numerous safety rules can be applied to a wide range of situations • Training programs are available for different incident types • Every situation has its own set of hazards, and it is your responsibility to provide for personal safety and the safety of others • Train yourself to evaluate situations as they arise • Decision-making skills are critical for safety • Remain constantly vigilant