Fire-Zine February 3, 2011
To provide members of the
fire service with quips of
valuable information from a
plethora of resources
available.
Produced by
John J. McNeil
Fast Reading for a Fast Paced Fire Service Rhodes Consultants, Inc.
Command We have to prevent com- during a fire. Incident
placency from time to commanders must know
The “3D Drivers” of the time and review the im- the collapse warning
portance of wearing your signs of a parapet,
Highway
(ResponderSafety.com)
reflective vest, being marquee, canopy or
aware of traffic flow and cornice. When they see
As the incident com- its control as well as the any of the above
mander of an incident on proper steps to ensure, construction dangers on
the interstate, highway as much as we possibly a front wall of a burning
or roadway, scene safety can, that scene safety is building they must take
Operations
is critical to preventing addressed immediately defensive actions.
Parapets,
injuries or death to emer- upon arrival.
Canopies,
gency responders work- When was the last time According to Vincent
Cornices, Marquee and
ing the incident. Blocking any training was con- Dunn, there are four
Wall Collapses
sufficient lanes and ducted on your traffic strategies an incident
(Vincent Dunn)
proper positioning of fire incident management
The front wall of a burning commander can use to
apparatus to protect guidelines? Does your safeguard firefighters
building has several
emergency responders department have SOGs when the front wall of a
deadly fixtures that can
from the 3 D’s of the on wearing reflective burning building appears
collapse and kill
roadway is the first step vests and operating at about to collapse during
firefighters. The parapet,
toward scene safety. traffic incidents? For in- a fire:
marquee, canopy and
The 3 D’s is a concept formation on guidelines, Use the reach of the
cornice are all parts of a
used to describe drivers training and promotion of hose stream. Firefighter
building’s front wall that
that are either drunk, dis- highway safety for emer-
can collapse during a fire. should use the 50 foot
tracted or simply dumb gency responders go to: reach of a hose stream
Incident commanders
when it comes to maneu- http://
must size-up the front wall to withdraw a safe
vering around emergency www.respondersafety.co distance away from a
of a burning building and
incidents. These type of m/Training/ dangerous
identify these dangerous
drivers have killed and Downloads.aspx
construction features
injured thousands of
Humorous Video of Familiar Fire Operations
emergency responders.
http://flashovertv.firerescue1.com/media/2886-Mickey-Mouse-Mickeys-fire-

Volume 1 Issue 8 Page 2
Fire-Zine Knowledge is Survival
parapet, marquee canopy or These are the so-called four corner Administration & Fiscal
cornice that appears in danger areas. Probability of survival is National Advisory
of collapse. greatest in the four corner safe Committee
A collapse zone can be areas. When there is danger of (FEMA)
established by the incident collapse a safety strategy used by The U.S. Department of Homeland
commander and all firefighters an incident commander is to Security’s Federal Emergency
can be withdrawn out of the position aerial streams, portable Management Agency (FEMA) is
collapse zone. A collapse zone deluge nozzles, and deck guns on requesting individuals who are in-
is defined as withdrawing pumpers inside the four corner terested in serving on the National
firefighters away from a front safe areas. Advisory Council (NAC) to apply for
wall a distance equal to the appointment. The NAC is an advi-
height of the wall in danger of sory committee established in
collapse. accordance with the provisions of
the Federal Advisory Committee
Act to ensure effective and ongo-
ing coordination of federal prepar-
edness, protection, response, re-
Leadership Quote on covery, and mitigation for natural
Inspiration disasters, acts of terrorism, and
other man-made disasters.
“Remember that people are more The NAC will have a position open
easily influenced through the for applications and nominations in
medium of a broad and the following disciplines: Emer-
gency Management, Emergency
Flank the front wall. Firefighters humorous illustration than in Response, Health Scientist, Stan-
operating hose streams can be any other way.” dard Settings, Infrastructure Pro-
positioned in front of adjoining tection, Communications, Disabili-
buildings and their hose ———-Abraham Lincoln
ties, Local Non-Elected Official,
streams can be directed on the Tribal Elected Official, and three
burning building from a flanking appointments which will be
position. The stream may not be Rhodes Consultants, Inc. selected at the discretion of the
as effective being directed from David Rhodes, President FEMA Administrator. The selected
an angle; however the firefight- rhodesconsultants@gmail.com members would serve until June
ers will be away from the front 678-776-5273 15, 2014. In addition, FEMA seeks
of the building wall in danger of
Dedicated to applications to fill the remaining
collapsing. term for a Local Elected Official
Providing Professional,
Corner safe areas can be position (to serve until June 15,
established around the burning
Affordable
and Excellent 2012), a State Non-Elected Official
building. When we look at position (to serve until June 15,
the fireground around a burning Training and Consultation for 2013), and an Administrator’s
building standing by itself from Today’s Fire Service Selection (to serve until June 15,
a birds-eye view we see there 2013).
are four areas in which to park Qualified individuals interested in
Wanted
apparatus and operate master serving on the NAC are invited to
streams -the four corner safe apply for appointment by submit-
areas. If the front wall and all ting a resume or Curriculum Vitae
the other walls of a burning (CV). Letters of recommendation
building collapse outward may also be provided, but are not
simultaneously (which is very Your feedback, suggestions and fire shots are required. Applications are ac-
unlikely) there would be four wanted to be used in the Zine. cepted on Friday, February 4, 2011
corner areas on the fireground Please send any of these to: through Friday, March 4, 2011.
where fewer bricks would land. mcneil.john.j@gmail.com For more information: http://
Thanks! www.fema.gov/about/nac.
John