1. Fire-Zine February 24, 2011
To provide members of the
fire service with quips of
valuable information from a
plethora of resources avail-
able.
Produced by
Knowledge is Survival John J. McNeil
Rhodes Consultants, Inc.
Command communications unit proving visibility in
leader is part of the Na- smoke-filled conditions.
tional Incident Manage- Second, by not venting
Communications
ment System (NIMS) and instead closing the
Considerations at
command structure. door to the burning
Major Incidents The technical staff room, you can also delay
(USFA/IAFC)
should receive the ap- flashover. By not vent-
propriate training to ful- ing, you starve the fire of
As incidents grow, inter-
fill these roles success- oxygen, which slows
operability should be
fully. Communications down the combustion
planned for in the com-
unit leaders in the NIMS rate, which in turn slows
mand structure. When Operations
command structure pro- down the build up of
developing interoperable Flashover Delay
vide a central point of heat in the room. This
command structures, (Vincent Dunn)
contact to develop a may be done when there
many interoperability
communications plan to With today’s prevalent lack is a delay in stretching a
tools may be employed.
meet the interoperability of initial staffing to effec- hose-line and all persons
Technical staff plays a tively initiate an interior
needs on a large inci- are out of the burning
pivotal role in providing attack at a structure fire
dent. room.
these technology tools to
When interoperating, de- there are steps that can be Third, the discharge of a
meet the operational re-
termining the number of taken to delay a flashover portable extinguisher
quirements. The techni-
channels needed to sup- and buy some time. Ac- can cool the heat down
cal staff must be familiar
port the incident must be cording to Vincent Dunn, in a burning room tempo-
with the operational ob-
a consideration. It is al- Deputy Chief FDNY, retired, rarily and also delay
jectives and command there are three ways you
ways important to ac- flashover.
structure to supply the can delay flashover. First,
count for the amount of Buying time has never
appropriate technologi-
radio traffic on a channel by venting the windows of been more important
cal tools.
and to reserve some air a burning room, you re- than in today’s staffing
NFPA 1221 (7.4.10) rec- lease the build up of heat
time for unforeseen deficient fire service.
ommends the use of a
needs such as a Mayday. in there. This slows down
communications officer flashover in addition to im-
at all major
Great Video for a Discussion on Building Construction, Fire Operations and Tactics
incidents, and a
http://www.firerescue1.com/firefighter-training/fire-videos/449305-house-fire-collapse/

2. Volume 1 Issue 9 Page 2
Fire-Zine Knowledge is Survival
Logistics / Training
Fire Ground Survival
Program
(IAFF)
The Fire Ground Survival pro-
gram is to designed to ensure Useful Firefighter
that training for Mayday preven- Tip:
Students will listen to presenta-
tion and Mayday operations are
tions, view videos of simulated
consistent between all fire
Mayday incidents and read Golf tees are a light, inexpen-
fighters, company officers and
documentation supporting how sive and multi-function addition
chief officers. Fire fighters must
best to prevent a Mayday, as to a firefighter’s bunker gear.
be trained to perform poten-
well as how best to prepare for, Two or three can be carried
tially life-saving actions if they easily in a pocket or on a hel-
and handle an actual Mayday.
become lost, disoriented, in- met.
Students will learn the specific
jured, low on air or trapped. Tees can be used as temporary
actions a fire fighter must per-
These training exercises must plugs to stop leaks caused by
form to assure the highest de-
be consistent throughout the small holes in gas tanks or
gree of survivability when hoses.
fire service. Funded by the IAFF
things on the fire ground go In addition, some firefighters
and assisted by a grant from the
wrong. use small nails to prop open
U.S. Department of Homeland
Students will also learn the spe- doors, but golf tees can perform
Security (DHS) through the As-
cific actions the incident com- the same function.
sistance to Firefighters (FIRE
mander, dispatchers and others First, open the door completely
Act) grant program, our compre- to expose the hinge plate.
on the fire ground must take to
hensive Fire Ground Survival Place the pointed end of the tee
assist in the fire fighter’s res-
training program applies the into a screw head, then let the
cue. Mastery of the concepts
lessons learned from fire fighter door begin to close until the flat
will be evaluated using a post- end of the tee touches the door
fatality investigations con-
test for each section. jamb. The door will stay open,
ducted by the National Institute
for Occupational Safety and and there will be no need to go
Health (NIOSH) and has been FREE OFFER back to collect equipment.
developed by a committee of
subject matter experts from the
IAFF, the International Associa-
For further information on how
tion of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and
to participate in this free pro-
NIOSH.
gram or make it available to
The program is suitable for all
your department go to the link
ranks and levels of experience
below:
and consists of a five-part cur-
http://www.iaff.org/hs/fgs/ Leadership Technique
riculum consisting of:
fGS_CandidateGuide.htm
Improve Your People’s
1. Mayday Prevention.
2. Being Ready for the Mayday. Rhodes Consultants, Quality of Life
3. Self-Survival Procedures. Inc. “In heavy times, lighten up.”
4. Self-Survival Skills. David Rhodes, President
5. Fire Fighter Expectations of “Let the crew show off the “ship.”
rhodesconsultants@gmail.com
Command During a Mayday. 678-776-5273 “The secret of good work is good
Dedicated to play.”
Successful completion of this
Providing Professional, —Captain D. Michael Abrashoff,
course requires the study of ac-
Affordable
tual near misses and fatalities USS Benfold
to reinforce the learning of each
and Excellent
of the five parts. Training and Consultation
for
Today’s Fire Service