The After Action Review: Post-Incident Size-Up

The size-up is for all intents and purposes, our game plan or battle plan, if you will, against the structure we are working at. The size-up is where firefighters and fire officers gather information in order to make safe, efficient, and effective fire ground decisions. Fire ground decision making, as we know, is meant to be quick, but with an emphasis on safety and ensuring the tactics are done efficiently and effectively.

One aspect we do not stress enough is the fact we do not consider the culmination of the incident. After fire command is terminated and all units are back in quarters and in service. We must remember the pre-planning is not over just because we cleared the incident and everyone is back in the station and safe. This is where the add-value work is put into place and now it is time for the after-action review or post-incident size-up.

During the after-action review (AAR), firefighters and fire officers can discuss and share information obtained from the alarm and also discuss the success and failures they have experienced during the alarm. This is a time to ask a few question:

• What did we expect to happen?

• What actually occurred?

• What went well and why?

• What can we improve upon and how?

The benefit of asking these questions allow for strengths to be easily identifiable making it easier to uncover areas of weakness. By uncovering areas of weakness, you can develop ways to improve them! If you do not identify what went wrong, how could you ever expect to improve? On the contrary, if you do not understand what went right and why, duplicating that same success in the future will not be easy. Ensure necessary changes discussed in the AAR are implemented sooner than later as the longer it is on hold, the greater the likelihood of any changes being implemented diminish.

The size-up as a whole is a valuable step by step process for all firefighters, to obtain knowledge of their response district, riding assignments, and strategy and tactic implementation. By beginning this process formally or informally early on, it will allow for continual growth for each firefighter and fire officer. The key to success as an individual and team is to get ahead of the game and prevent ourselves from being reactive, rather proactive.

Until next time, work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

 

Attacking and Defeating the Hockey Puck Lock

Being a firefighter, we have various challenged consistently thrown at us and as such it is our job to defeat and overcome them.

As businesses and homeowners look to ramp up their security systems with more cameras around the perimeters and such, it is very common for high security locks to be added to various entrance points of the structure. The mindset is to make the structure as different as possible for criminals to enter and this trickles into making it more difficult for firefighters to make entry should an emergency arise that we need to get to.

When we think about gaining entry to a structure, we know it is something we must train on and something we must be proficient in. So, challenge accepted. Since as firefighters, there is no challenge we cannot overcome - or at least think we cannot overcome. The kitchen table is where we solve all the world's problems.

The challenge of this article is to list out various methods of forcible entry in defeating The American 2000 lock also known as "The Hockey Puck Lock".

This lock is found is a variety of places and sometimes may show up when you least expect it. Typically found on roll up doors on commercial occupancies, these locks can also be found on commercial garage doors, basement doors (Bilco doors) and box trucks.

Due to its round shape, this lock puts the keyway and pin & shackle within the body of the lock itself. By this design, it is created to cause difficulties for criminals to cut the shackle and gain entry.

Here are a few ways to attack and overcome the hockey puck lock

Method #1 - Attack the lock (no guard)

The lock could be attached to some kind of heavy-duty door or gate and quickly being able to identify if there is a guard around the lock or not will determine if you will be attack the lock itself or go through other means. For this method, we will go through the lock itself since there is no guard around the lock.

The quickest and most efficient way in attacking the lock is to use a standard pipe wrench (many truck companies have these in the cab or tool compartment of the rig) and get a solid bite on the lock with the wrench. From there, you simply pry downward with the wrench, breaking the hasp eye.

American 2000 (hockey puck) Lock Hasp

Method #2 - Through the Lock (with guard)

Hockey Puck Lock with Guard

Many of these locks will have a guard around them protecting the lock and therefore preventing the use of a wrench or striking down the lock by other means.

In this case, when faced with a guard around the lock, it is best to cut through the lock itself. For this method, it is best to use a rotary saw equipped with a metal blade.

  • Locate the keyway

  • Cut about three-quarters up the lock, opposite of the keyway

  • Cut completely through the lock and guard

This should damage the hasp and enable the lock to be removed from the door or gate.

For those unfamiliar with this type of lock, it could be a daunting task to complete. However, take time during pre-planning and non-fire incidents in occupancies to locate these types of locks and add them to your pre-incident size-up and practice these methods of entry with the crew. A few minutes breaking locks will save precious minutes on the fire ground figuring out how to get through it.

Until next time - work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

Electric Vehicle Fire Considerations for Second Due Company Response

Due to the nature and potential duration of a fire involving an electric vehicle, the second due company, whether it be a rescue or squad company play a vital role in the strategies and tactics of fire suppression operations.

Here are a few considerations for second due companies in response to an electric car fire.

  • Upon arrival and not completed, establish a delineated Hot Zone and ensure all personnel are in full PPE and donned with their SCBA and on air.

  • Consider ventilation. The buildup of vapors from an EV are potentially toxic, flammable and explosive. If deemed safe, the second due engine should consider and attempt to open two doors of the vehicle to allow and prevent buildup of vapors.

  • Attempt to shut down the high voltage system of the EV, if it is not already on fire.

  • Provide access for the suppression team to the location of the battery in order for water to be applied directly on it. This will help cool the battery and prevent thermal runaway.

  • Ways to open the vehicle for access to the battery depending its location

    • Remove the doors and rear seat top

    • Open and remove the trunk lid

    • Tilt the vehicle for access to the floor batteries. Consider using air bags, spreaders and cribbing, a comealong or winch to do so.

The main purpose of the second due company for electric vehicle fires is to provide safety for all personnel on scene and work in obtaining access to the EV battery location to help prevent further thermal runaway. Since cooling these batteries could take up to 30 minutes or more, it is vital there is a dedicated company on scene working to identifying and gaining access to this crucial piece of the vehicle.

Key Terms

High Voltage

For automotive applications, any voltage greater than 30 volts alternating current, or AC, or 60 volts direct current, or DC, is considered to be a high or hazardous voltage due to the potential to produce serious injury or death due to electric shock. Electric drive systems on commercial vehicles can operate at voltages as high as 800 volts, both AC and DC, and can produce peak currents as high as 100 amps, which make contact with high voltage components even more dangerous.

High Voltage Cables

Visible orange cables are another indication that a vehicle has a high voltage system. That is because there is a voluntary Society of Automotive Engineers, or SAE, recommended practice that specifies that all high voltage cables have an orange outer covering. While voluntary, this practice has been adopted by virtually all manufacturers.

Until next time, work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

Remembering Lieutenant Nathan Flynn

In the early morning of July 23, 2018, at approximately 0200hours, Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services was dispatched to lightning-caused structure fire in a single-family residence in Clarksville, Maryland.  

Shortly after arriving on scene, Lieutenant Nathan Flynn and his crew were advancing a hose line into the structure when the floor collapsed.  A Mayday was initiated around 0220hours by Lt. Flynn and another member of the crew. All of the crew members were rescued after about 20 minutes in burning basement at approximately 0245hours. 

Lt. Flynn was transported to the hospital but did not survive his injuries.  The cause of death was multiple injuries. 

He was the first line of duty death in the history of Howard County. 

Incident Location: 7000 Block of Woodscape Road, Clarksville, MD (U.S. National Grid: U.S. National Grid: 18S UJ 34363 39282 (DD: 39.187, -76.918)) 

Lessons Learned as per NIOSH 

  • Fire departments should ensure that crew integrity is properly maintained by visual (eye-to-eye), direct (touch), or verbal (voice or radio) contact at all times when operating in an immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) atmosphere. The intent is to prevent firefighters from becoming lost or missing

  • Fire departments should ensure incident commanders conduct a detailed scene size-up and risk assessment during initial fireground operations and throughout the incident including Side Charlie

  • Fire departments should develop and implement a standard operating procedure/guideline (SOP/SOG) to identify below-grade fires and ensure that appropriate tactical operations are implemented

  • Fire departments should ensure that a deployment strategy for low-frequency/high-risk incidents is developed and implemented for large area residential structures with unique architectural features

  • Fire departments should ensure that incident commanders develop an incident action plan (IAP) that matches conditions encountered during initial operations and throughout the incident

  • Fire departments should ensure that critical incident benchmarks and fire conditions are communicated to incident commanders throughout the incident. This is accomplished with effective fireground communications

  • Fire departments should have a procedure to ensure all members operating in the hazard zone have their radios on the designated radio channel

  • Fire departments should ensure all members and dispatchers are trained on the safety features of their portable radio, particularly the features useful during a Mayday

  • Fire departments should develop a process to prevent task saturation of incident commanders during multi-alarm incidents

  • Fire departments should ensure that the member assigned to the resource status and situation status function is not given other duties during an incident

  • Fire departments should develop a formal training program that defines the job duties and functions for staff aides, incident command technicians, or staff assistants

  • Fire departments should ensure incident commanders maintain control of situation status, resources status, and communications to ensure the completion of tactical objectives

  • Fire departments should incorporate the principles of Command Safety into the incident management system during the initial assumption of command. This ensures that strategic-level safety responsibilities are being incorporated into the command functions throughout the incident

  • Fire departments should review and/or develop SOG/SOPs to ensure that water supply is established during initial fireground operations, particularly in areas with limited or no hydrants

  • Fire departments should ensure adequate staffing and deployment of resources based on the community’s risk assessment

  • Fire department should periodically review and, if necessary, revise their SOP/SOG on the deployment of rapid intervention crews (RICs)

  • Fire departments should use resources from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL) Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), and the International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI) to develop and revise operational procedures on fireground tactics and provide training in fire dynamics in structures for all firefighting staff

  • Fire departments should consider having all members carry a wire cutting tool  

We remember… 

Lieutenant Nathan "Nate" Flynn, 34, Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services

Electric Vehicle Fire Considerations for the First Due Engine Company

Automotive technological advancements have evolved drastically over the years. Modern amenities of connectivity are found is every new car being brought onto the market today. Social media apps, real time traffic and weather updates to cameras not just for backing up but also for covering multiple blind spot areas of the car. Although the biggest advancement and great challenge for firefighters is in the invention of electric vehicles (EV).

Firefighters must be aware of the dangers of these vehicles and have steps in place when responding to vehicle fires involving electric vehicles. For purposes of this article, we are going to outline steps to take when responding to an electric vehicle fire as the first arriving engine company.

Secure a Water Supply

As any well-trained engine company, the first thing that must happen is to secure a water supply immediately upon arrival. This is a crucial step in a meaningful knock on the fire. When compared to an internal combustion vehicle (gas fueled), an electric vehicle can take up to ten times the amount of water to cool or extinguish.

Let's think about this. An internal combustion vehicle would normally take 500-1000 gallons of water to cool or extinguish while an EV would take a minimum of 10,0000 gallons of water alone to extinguish or cool the battery. Reports have shown that it has taken 30,000 - 40,000 gallons of water to do such fire suppression on EVs. 

Up to 150 000 liters of water needed to put out a fire in an electric car | CTIF - International Association of Fire Services for Safer Citizens through Skilled Firefighters

Once a water supply is established, the next best option is to treat this like a motor vehicle extrication and if possible, stabilize the car and initiate any victim removes if required. The silent movement of these vehicles could cause them to roll and cause for other hazards putting firefighters at higher risks of injuries from the moving vehicle.

Handline Selection

Due to the naturae of these vehicles and the amount of water needed to either cool or extinguish the fire, it is best to either stretch a 2 1/2-inch handline or if staffing permits, pull multiple 1 3/4-inch handlines. As suppression team(s) approach the  vehicle, it is important to utilize the reach of the straight stream of the nozzle and to take note of the reaction the vehicle is having with the water. The initial application of water may cause a flare up of fire due to the combustibles within the EV.

Locate the Battery

Upon extinguishment of the main body of fire, it is imperative that firefighters quickly locate and identify the location of the battery, and this is important for monitoring signs of thermal runaway using a thermal imaging camera (TIC), including: 

  • Identify the heat signature present

  • Vapors escaping from the battery pack

  • Listen for popping sounds from the battery pack

  • Locating visible fire around the battery pack 

*Note, the thermal runaway temperature for lithium-ion batteries is approximately 176 degrees Fahrenheit or 80 degrees Celsius. Beyond this, the risk of chemical reactions leading to thermal runaway increases drastically. The maximum temperature during thermal runaway can reach greater than 300 degrees Celsius or 572 degrees Fahrenheit.

If any of these signs are identified, the battery pack should begin to be cooled and performed in such manner: 

  • The stream from the hose line should be directed to one area on the battery pack and applied for 3 to 5 minutes

  • After the 3 to 5 minutes, firefighters should assess the battery again for thermal runaway and the items listed above.

  • Should the signs of thermal runaway still be presentable or have seemed to be found on a new area of the battery, the stream should be again applied for another 3 to 5 minutes, followed by another assessment of the battery pack.

  • This process should be repeated until the pack is no longer showing any elevated temperatures.

Monitor the Battery 

After fire suppression team(s) have cooled the or extinguished the battery and all hot spots on the battery have cooled, it is best for an engine company to remain in place with an established water supply still in place for at least 30 minutes before the EV is moved from the hot zone.

Key definitions to take note of:

Thermal Runaway

Thermal runaway occurs when a lithium-ion battery becomes overheated and is often triggered by overcharging, a short circuit or other cell stress. A chain reaction in the cell that generates gas is triggered by excess heat. This can spread to the rest of the battery pack if not mitigated, which can cause other cells to overheat and then decompose. The runaway causes the release of flammable gasses as it takes hold and the battery cells break down. 

Lithium-ion Battery

A lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery is an advanced battery technology that uses lithium ions as a key component of its electrochemistry. During a discharge cycle, lithium atoms in the anode are ionized and separated from their electrons. The lithium-ions move from the anode and pass through the electrolyte until they reach the cathode, where they recombine with their electrons and electrically neutralize.

 As the fire service studies and investigates the complexity of electric vehicles fires, it is imperative that we continue to remain diligent when responding to EV fires and keeping up with the everlasting changes of how to approach and attack fires involving electric vehicles.

Until next time - work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

EV Rescue

https://autorescueapp.com/index.html

NFPA

https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/emergency-response/emergency-response-guides#aq=%40culture%3D%22en%22&cq=%40taglistingpage%3D%3D(%22EV%20Guides%22)%20%20&numberOfResults=12&sortCriteria=%40title%20ascending

When to Detach from the Plan

In theory, our strategies and tactics for our incident action plan are developed based on our 360-degree size-up. In reality, our strategies and tactics of our incident action plan are developed based on many variables - the pre-incident size-up, the alarm size-up, the on-scene size-up and the post-incident (after action review) size-up. All these variables are covered in chapter 3 of my book, "The 5-Tool Firefighter" in greater detail. For purposes of this article, I am highlighting them for other purposes.

The pre-incident size-up

 The pre-incident size-up is the first and best place to begin putting our IAP together by collecting as much important and relevant information of the structure as we possibly can and therefore beginning to build our "gameplans" and try them out in training. During this size-up, we can locate and note the following:

  1. Construction type

  2. Interior space size

  3. Containment areas

  4. Stairwells and elevators

  5. FDC hookups

  6. Solar Panels

Note: variables change based on the type of construction and type of occupancy you are pre-planning. These six items are only a sample of what we could look to identify during a pre-planning.

The alarm size-up

During the alarm size-up this is where firefighters and fire officers should start considering the variables taken during the pre-incident size-up. On the way to the alarm, things to look into are as follows:

  1. Location of the structure

  2. Type of occupancy

  3. Current apparatus staffing

  4. Weather conditions and time of day (loosely)

  5. Apparatus placement (think water supply/aerial operations)

These areas will lead into building the strategies and tactics for our IAP for this particular alarm. Now comes the on-scene.

The on-scene size-up

This is where the pre-planning and alarm size-ups are put to work. All our work identifying key areas of consideration and training are now put to the test. In reality, it is where we are provided with much more information specific to the alarm, confirming our variables during the alarm size-up, such as building construction, type of occupancy and location.

 Here is where more in-depth size-ups will take place not only at the command level but at each company level. Firefighters of truck and engine companies will now begin going inside the structure and taking note of the area under a different light and different conditions and relaying their findings back to the incident commander. This information being done at the company level will now allow the IC (incident commander) to make fire ground decisions that’s are prioritized for a safe and efficient outcome. This process continues until command is terminated.

Post-incident size-up

Once we've returned to the station and cleared up, it is imperative that we begin to discuss what went right and wrong on the incident, no matter the severity of the incident. This helps firefighter and fire officers strive to improve on their strengths and weaknesses of their job and strive to be as successful as possible.

Things to consider:

  1. What did we expect to happen?

  2. What actually happened?

  3. What went well and why?

  4. What can we improve upon and how? 

Looking at these four areas of size-up, we need to understand one thing. Our incident action plan that is designed to assist is can also hurt us. Well, how is that possible? We have pre-planned, sized-up on alarms, trained on scenarios for this type of occupancy, we did everything? What would hurt us?

What could hurt us is by sticking to the script of the IAP. What do I mean by that? Unforeseen circumstances and confirmation bias.

The outcome of the incident is initiated in our thought process before we develop any strategies or tactics of the incident. In order to develop strategies and tactics we first must identify our outcome. Makes total sense right? We cannot plan for an outcome we do not have in mind.

Our confirmation bias also agrees but here is the caveat. We cannot identify areas of concern if we simply go off an incident action plan without detaching ourselves from the plan for a moment. Meaning, we use our IAP as a guide but also take the time to look around for key areas that we are predisposed to instantly ignore.

Here is an example. 

We prepare our alarm size-up and look at the time of day. For example, Engine 2 is responding to a fire alarm activation at 234 Sesame Street on a Tuesday at roughly 1400 hours. It is a 2-story residential wood frame structure and normally at this time the family is either working and/or at school. 

Initially we are thinking this could be a faulty smoke detector activation or maybe someone is home and it's burnt food on the stove. However, upon arrival we see no signs of "life" at the residence. There are no cars in the driveway or at the curb and no homeowner waiting for us. Right here, our confirmation has proven correct. No one is home and a faulty detector went off. 

We immediately considered that because of the time of day with no activity at home upon arrival and the lack of cars visible to us, it must appear no one is home. 

Now let's detach from that mindset for a moment. 

We automatically assumed based on the time of day and day of week no one would be home however, that simply cannot be the case. To overcome confirmation bias, we need to loosely take time of day into account and assume every response has occupants on scene. Having a rough idea of who might be home is good to have but it cannot be written in stone and here's why. 

A residential structure could with an attached or detached garage could have the homeowner’s car parked inside (off-day or working from home) or the car could be for all intents and purposes, at a shop getting work done.  

To go further into the example here is more details. The engine company officer decides to DETACH from the initial mindset and dispatch and peak around the exterior of the structure that has a 6-foot privacy fence around the side yard and into the backyard and notices black smoke coming from the basement windows on the "C" side (Charlie side ) of the structure after entering through the fence gate. 

We've identified two areas of concern here. One, we disregarded the confirmation bias of time of day that the potential of no one is home and we identified an unforeseen circumstance based on the initial dispatch of the alarm.  

By detaching from the plan for a moment and taking a step back to question and prove out your initial mindset can oftentimes be the difference between a reactive approach or a proactive approach. The IAP is a great tool to have although we must ensure we are always critically thinking on scene and not simply going through the motions.

Until next time - work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

The Importance of the 360 Size-Up

The importance of performing a 360 size up makes a huge difference in the operation of a structure. Keep in mind size up can be performed by simply walking around your first due area and checking out new construction. Let’s look at some simple factors I came across in a new residential community.

Picture #1

  • Two story wood frame single family home

  • Appears it could be balloon frame (although weird for new construction)

  • Only one door is in plain sight

  • Bottom window of the 1/2 corner is a bit raised appearing there may be a basement level or storage area below

Picture #2

  • House is actually a three story residential

  • Basement is designed to be fully furnished

  • Basement level could possibly be used as an apartment (could cause a hazard if the stairway between the basement and first floor is illegally blocked for privacy)

  • Two additional means of egress located off the first floor balcony on the #2 side and the basement level door

  • From the rear it’s clear it’s not balloon frame

Again, just a few small factors to hit on. Do you notice anything else?

The Truck Company Officer

The firefighter in charge of all operations related to the truck company is the truck company officer, whether it be a lieutenant or captain based how your department is set up and operates. This firefighter is the one who paints the picture for the crew and sets the stage for incoming units through the size-up presented over the radio. The message should be clear, concise and simple - (ie., "truck 7 arriving on scene 123 Sesame Street. Two-story wood frame structure, smoke showing from the A/B corner. Truck 7 will be forcible entry and search operations…").

This message from the officer, sets the stage for what's to come next and how incoming units need to prepare for their arrival on scene. 

The truck company officer is also an interior firefighter during this time as well and must remember to bring a few tools with him. However, prior to making entry with the crew, the officer is responsible for performing a 360 degree size-up, if possible. Otherwise a three side size-up will do.

Truck Company Officer Tools

• Officers tool or halligan

• Radio (of course)

• Thermal Imaging Camera (TIC)

Once the officer makes entry inside the structure, they are now in charge of and coordinating all things related to their crews operations and relaying those actions to the Incident Commander (IC). Various situations will determine where the officer will be in relation to the crew in the structure.

During a vent-enter-search (VES) operation, the officer is the last firefighter up the ladder. This is so the irons firefighter and the hook & can firefighter can perform their primary search of the room. All the while the officer is utilizing the TIC to scan the room with a six-sided scan (walls, floor and ceiling) to help maintain contact (visual/verbal) with the firefighters inside the room but also help locate the fire. Most importantly, the officer while utilizing the TIC can assist the crew to a possible victim which should be done with the utmost priority when performing a primary search.

This same practice goes into searching bedrooms or offices off a hallway. The fire officer would remain in the hallway monitoring fire conditions of the search rooms while keeping in visual and verbal communication with the firefighters performing the search. In addition to monitoring the search rooms, it is important that the fire officer monitor the fire conditions throughout the hallway keeping in mind the type of structure the they are in, in relation to how fire behaviors in the different types of construction thus being situationally aware of what could go wrong. 

The last thing the truck company officer is responsible for is having trust in himself, his crew and those working in coordination with him inside and outside of the structure. 

Once the incident is complete and the company is back in quarters, one of the best things the truck officer can do is sit down with the crew and discuss the pros and cons of their job on the incident. This will help with building a solid bond with each other and solidifying the trust of working each day together.

Until next time, work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

Outside the Box 360

Performing a 360 upon arrival of a residential structure fire is crucial. Everyone always hits on building construction, type of occupancy, number of floors, and visible fire or smoke.

Did you notice a vehicle in the driveway, indicating someone may be home?

Did you see that the vehicle has a handicap placard on the license plate, indicating the owner may have a disability of some sort?

You walk up to the front door and notice children’s toys in the yard. Do kids live here?

Remember to look at the roof, utility lines connecting the house, solar panels, and satellite dishes. All these things could cause a hazard for crews operating on the scene.

You may arrive on scene and find a lot of clutter in the yard, leading to you assuming there may be hoarding conditions in the residence. We often find ourselves in tunnel vision and not looking at smaller aspects of the scene.

We want to hear from our followers. What are you looking for when you arrive on the scene?

Until next time - work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

The Size-Up

Let’s Talk Size Up! 

Talk. If you just talk is anyone listening? Well, they should be. But if you don’t send the message properly, not only will they not listen, but they will also not get the picture you are painting. So, what is size up? To me, it is much more than just talk. It is giving others the image you are seeing right now. It is giving them vital information about whatever the incident is at hand. Let’s just base this conversation on House fires. What are you looking for? Is it just the building? NOPE! There is so much more. What is the exterior telling you about the possible battles you may face? I recently read a post from OJ Kolodziej, a Fire Captain from Birmingham AL and the owner at Magic City Truck Academy, a Fire based training company similar to mine. If you don’t follow him, you should!  But he made a recent post on size up. It was a short post about vehicle size up at a house fire!  Yup vehicle size up. This simple method will help you find clues of what may be inside this home.  How? Glad ya asked, look into that vehicle instead of running past it!! Well, if you have a visible victim then yeah go past it. For the sake of this article, there are no visible victims. Look at the car, are there any car seats or booster seats, how many? What are the license plates? Handicap, or is there a handicap tag hanging on the mirror? What is the general condition of the car? Is it in shambles and full of stuff and things, this may give insight of the interior of the home. Is the hood warm? What does the back window have for stick figure stickers?? A vehicle can tell you a lot!  


Photo by Ryan Johnston, training burn Greenville Maine 

Now we have looked at the vehicle, what does the door yard look like? SQUIRREL!! Did you notice I didn’t talk about time of day? Yeah, I’m not going to. Now several years ago I might have. But as our world changes so does our size up factors. The lack of or having a vehicle in the driveway at any point day or night is not really a reason (in my opinion) to search more or less. Today’s culture has taught me that it doesn’t matter what time of day it or if a vehicle is present or not that I should not base my search on either of these items. They may direct me towards a targeted search, but not swaying my decision to search. With COVID and just the amount of people working from home, we are likely going to find victims regardless of the time of day.  

OK back to my original thought. You have taken note of the vehicle, and you are likely doing a 360.  What are you seeing? Building type, number of floors, is there the same number of floors in the front as there are in the rear? What are you smelling? What are the conditions? Smoke, Fire,  Nothing? If you do have smoke or fire, from where and how much? You can even get into the smoke volume, color, speed and density. Do you know what your water source is going to be?  What mode of attack will you be in? Offensive, Defensive, Investigation? Once you announce this info over the radio to the incoming units establish command. I am the worst person for a stationary command, but it is important. So, announce the location of command, rely on you officer staff to relay pertinent information to you as needed and once a command post is established stay there, if possible, see what I did there? In the fire service Never and Always are two bad words. The thing about size up is that it is always on going. As the incident changes the resources that you may need or not need changes. I try to reassess the incident every 10 to 15 minutes in the first hour.  After that the incident will dictate my time line. This article is no means the end all to size up. It is  just some of the things I do. Hopefully this will trigger you to look at how you size up your fires and  as always, if you have any questions or comments please reach out! I really enjoy it when we have  feedback, I learn so much from all of you, either when I am out strutting or if it is through this article sparking conversations. SO, how do you size up?  

Ryan Johnston

Owner, Maine-Iac Training

www.maineiactraining.org

ryan@maineiactraining.org

Dangers of College Rental Properties

Having a college in your response area can be a source of frustration and try one’s patience. For many new college students this is their first time living on their own and fending for themselves. This often brings an increase in nuisance alarms, medical calls following the first big campus party and a host of other calls for service. However, as trying as it may be, it is important not to become complacent. In a study published by the U.S. Fire Administration it was found 94% of fatal campus fires took place in off-campus housing. This is an alarming statistic we should be aware of. As the cost for college continues to increase more and more students will look to live off campus to save money. Knowing the common dangers found in off campus housing and the tactical considerations to take when responding to emergencies at these locations is critical for any department that has a college in their response area.

Typically, off campus housing owned by the college are required by either local or state building codes to have a higher level of fire protection. This is also true for privately owned rentals that are either listed as college rentals or multiple dwellings. The most dangerous of the off-campus housing are the privately owned rentals that “fly under the radar” of local building departments. The legality of these occupancies varies based on the authority having jurisdiction as well as local and state building codes. These rental properties are usually close to campus and were once privately owned single-family homes. Due to this, these occupancies are rented as a single-family rental. The rental agreement is signed by one individual, but in reality, a group of individuals live in this rental and share the cost. Yet, as far as any documentation shows it is a single person renting a single-family home. This is how these occupancies “fly under the radar” and are not required to have the same level of fire protection as would an occupancy listed as a multiple dwelling.

The traditional ways one can identify a multiple dwelling from the exterior does not hold true in identifying these off-campus houses. These are often single-family homes and are kept to look that way from the outside. They have one meter as opposed to multiple meters, which ordinarily could have been used to determine how many apartments maybe present. The amount of cars present could signify how many people live at the location. However, because these occupancies were once single-family homes there often is not the space to park more than two vehicles. The number of vehicles may also be limited per the rental agreement, street parking regulations or just the simple fact that many college students do not have their own car. The photo below is of a college rental that on paper is a single-family rental. In 2021 it had 15 college students living in it.

On the inside of these residences the layout may remain similar to its original design or be completely changed to accommodate more individuals. One of these common changes is making living spaces that would normally be a dining room or sitting area into bedrooms. This might be done by placing temporary wall partitions or like in the photo below, simply hanging a large curtain. This is important to note because at 2am bypassing the dining room to head directly to the second floor to search bedrooms might have you passing a bedroom.

Bedrooms or rooms with doors tend to be created into single room occupancies (SROs). Each SRO will have an individual lock and could house multiple renters in a tight space. Often, each of these doors will have a hasp on the interior and exterior of the door and a padlock is used. When a renter leaves, they place the lock on the outside, when they are home, they can place it on the interior hasp. Land lords do it this way for cost saving reasons as well as to make it easy on the land lord when renters change. In the middle of the night during an emergency it is going to be very difficult for occupants to find a key and then open the door increasing the likelihood of trapped victims. Crews should also consider taking the appropriate forcible entry tools because doors in most home that would be unlocked will need to be forced in these occupancies.

In this particular building the front door had a keyed lock on the inside which if engaged could inhibit occupant egress. The occupant’s ability to evacuate is a major issue in these rentals. Looking back at the exterior photo of the building the third floor has no second means of egress leaving only a very narrow interior staircase to get up and down. This staircase is also challenging for crews to ascend to complete searches or get a hose line in place.

Common areas are often overloaded with furniture in what many would consider abnormal configurations. Clutter is also a major issue. Packing so many people into small spaces it is almost impossible to avoid. Below are a few examples of conditions found in these rentals. In the first you can see a living room packed with couches. During the week they are pushed together to allow for easier travel between rooms, but over the weekends and at night they are spread out and block entrances in and out of different rooms to allow people to congregate and sit. The next photo shows a bedroom that has not only a bed, but a couch coffee table and dresser all packed into the room. This is a common setup in these bedrooms.

The third picture is of one of the SRO bedrooms. As you can see it is packed with stuff. Another thing to note is the amount of electronics plugged in. Here we see an AC unit, mini fridge, TV, and fan. Multiple this by however many bedrooms there are, and we have a huge electrical hazard. Many of these rental properties are older homes and do not have updated electrical systems or service this is something to keep in mind when going on investigations in these types of properties. Areas like kitchens and bathrooms generally remain unchanged and are shared amongst the renters, but again can be cluttered and unkept. All of which makes searching and advancing handlines more difficult.

Another thing to note is within these rentals there is usually a locked area which is the landlord’s space that the renters do not have access to. Typically, this is the basement or utility rooms. This allows the landlord to have storage space as well as keeps tenants from being able to access the buildings utilities. This being said, gaining access to the building’s utilities may not be easy and interior doors leading to the basement, attic or utility rooms may be locked and have a higher level of security than one would expect. Taking all of this into account is important when responding to incidents at these occupancies. Being aware of the obstacles one might encounter on the interior not only increases firefighter safety, but more importantly civilian survivability. Knowing you will encounter multiple locked interior doors, atypical layouts and high life hazards are all important in making tactical fireground considerations.

William Morrissey has 14 years of fire service experience and is a career firefighter with the Arlington Fire District (NY). He began his career as a volunteer with the Washingtonville (NY) Fire Department. Morrissey is NY State Fire Instructor and New York State certified code enforcement official and has a bachelors is psychology.

Forcing Trident Security Doors

Higher capacity security doors are becoming more and more prevalent in all commercial and now residential homes for maximum break-in protection. The Trident Multi-Point lock provides a multipoint deadbolt locking mechanism with maximum resistance to break-ins. Here's the breakdown of the Trident system. 

  1. Instant self-locking deadbolt protection on each close or manual locking

  2. 4-point locking system

  3. Anti-pry protection

  4. Maximum door reinforcement kits - door strengthening bars and lower module reinforcement kit

As firefighters sometimes our jobs are going through the door in order to perform our interior fire operations and it is imperative we have an understanding on how to force this type of door should we have no other option or this is our best option for a quick knock on the fire or a rescue effort.

Let’s force the door 

All hand tools approach - IRONS - Method 1 

  1. Starting on the hinge side, using the Adz end of the halligan, gap/crush the door to gain access to the backside of the door by placing the Adz behind the door and begin prying the standalone pin away. By getting the standalone pin out of the way early on will help with the conventional door pop.

  2. Now, attack the lock side of the door starting with the top pin followed by the bottom pin and pry them away.

  3. From here, once the three pins have been pried away, force the center of the door conventionally.

Please note, this will be time consuming and energy depleting. Have a K-12 or spreaders on hand if need be.

All hand tools approach - IRONS - Method 2

  1. Attack the lock side of the door by gaping and crushing the door and start by prying away top pin followed by the bottom pin.

  2. From here, once the two pins have been pried away, force the center of the door conventionally.

  3. The door should go and entry can be made.

From my experience, these doors have been found mostly on rear pharmacy doors and other businesses with highly valuable goods. The best way to approach these doors is to study their makeup and understand their strong and weak links in order to force them in less time and reduce the amount of strain on the crew forcing the door.

Keep your eyes open and stay diligent out there. 

Until next time, work hard, stay safe and live inspired.