Fire Fighting Event

Firefighting What factors/operations contributed to this incident? Several factors and operations contributed to the incident resulting in a deceased and inured firefighter. The initial response was according to standard procedure, and was admirably fast and well attended by District Major 204, Engine 11, Engine 6, Emergency Medical Service EC6, and Aerial 4. The presence of a multifaceted team should have provided the diversity of services and resources needed to control the fire in a way that reduced the likelihood of unnecessary or preventable injury.

Moreover, the District Major was the first on the scene and had the capacity to respond in a way consistent with leadership protocols. The District Major was correct to first interact with civilians to find out if there were people inside the dwelling. However, there are several core elements that bear noting. One is the equipment failure on Engine 11, in which the pressure relief valve was sticking and could not sustain adequate water pressure.

Second was the unauthorized entry on the part of the first firefighter who attempted to open the front door and then kicked it down; what ensued thereafter was too chaotic. The District Major was aiding the team on Engine 11 instead of overseeing the team of firefighters and ensuring their safety and that all safety procedures were being followed.

There is no explanation as to why the airflow volume of the PPV fans was increased and there was no attempt at first to distinguish the cause -- in this case causes -- of the fire. Thus, the two casualties (the victim and the injured) fell through the floor. The integrity of the structure had been compromised, and they had already knocked down part of the ceiling.

Eight minutes had already elapsed before the District Major or anyone else noticed the two firefighters were missing -- meaning valuable moments of time that could have been used to prevent their injuries. Although the rescue efforts did save the one firefighter, the other perished needlessly due to a lack of control over operations. Finally, the injured firefighter had activated his personal alert safety system (PASS) device but it could not be heard over the noise of the engines, pumps, and PPV fans.

As the safety and health program manager, what recommendations would you make in order to prevent similar incidents? The first recommendation would be to improve the overall integrity of the firefighting and safety equipment. For example the pressure release system on Engine 11 should not have malfunctioned. Regular maintenance of and monitoring equipment might have prevented this problem. Likewise, the PASS system should not rely on auditory signals, which will commonly be drowned out in the midst of a crisis.

There must be better ways to alert personnel of an emergency situation, such as with portable paging devices that use lights or vibration to get the attention of personnel. Second, procedures and protocols need to be streamlined. The District Major was trying to do too many things at once, and needed instead of be a leader. As health and safety program manager, I would recommend that all managers and supervisors attend to overall resource management without getting caught up in the details when necessary.

This might have prevented the problems, as the supervisor would not have permitted the entry without a thorough check of the building integrity. Even if it was not apparent that there were three different sources of the fire in the basement, diagnostics could have been performed. In the future, I would recommend more thorough diagnostics. Situations like this, in which there are no civilians trapped inside, warrant a more thoughtful approach and recognition of the severe compromises to structural integrity.

Finally, I would recommend a more robust monitoring system in which personnel could not be missing for as long as eight minutes without being noticed. What standards and regulation, if any apply to these types of operations? Standards and regulations do apply to these types of operations. The primary objectives of firefighters include rescuing people, protecting and preventing exposures, confining the fire, and ultimately extinguishing it. These guiding principles should inform all specific procedural manuals.

In this case study, the proliferation of smoke had not been taken seriously enough, and nor had the way the fire had compromised the integrity of the structure leading to the hole the firefighters had fallen through. This could have been prevented by a more cautious approach to entry and a less chaotic method of addressing the fire. These types of operations are also covered by the National Fire Protection Association (2011) guidelines and procedures that outline parameters of professional development. The case study illustrates some role confusion and.