Training Tips
Page Sections:
Innovations, Capt Mulligan's Kitchen, & the Worth Knowing While You're Going series
Innovations
The Innovations section of this page brings you new methods, ideas, inventions and street-wise
techniques for the fireground. Like most great ideas, their brilliance is in
their simplicity. These innovations have been contributed by your Brother
Firefighters to benefit you and hopefully inspire you to create common-sense soloutions to make you more efficient and safe on the fireground. Whether a fresh, new idea or simply an old method that has been modified for today's fire service, we hope you pick up a few new ideas for your tactical toolbox. Anyone who would like to submit an Innovation - please send it to striketheboxtraining@gmail.com.
techniques for the fireground. Like most great ideas, their brilliance is in
their simplicity. These innovations have been contributed by your Brother
Firefighters to benefit you and hopefully inspire you to create common-sense soloutions to make you more efficient and safe on the fireground. Whether a fresh, new idea or simply an old method that has been modified for today's fire service, we hope you pick up a few new ideas for your tactical toolbox. Anyone who would like to submit an Innovation - please send it to striketheboxtraining@gmail.com.
The "J" Tool
February 13, 2010 – 22:46 The “J-TOOL” is a home-made soloution to a common forcible entry situation. This tool is used to actuate panic hardware from the outside of the structure. For the frugal, budget-starved firefighters and instructors amongst us (A.K.A. Dumpster Divers ) the raw material for the J-Tool is readliy available. Simply, it is fabricated from the wire antennae from a junk vehicle. With a bench vise and “encouragement” from a hammer, the wire antennae is formed into opposing “J” patterns to specific demensions. STBT’s brothers & sisters from Wichita Metro Fire provided this video that illustrates how to use this low-budget wonder! Special thanks to FF Chad Cox for producing the video. For more information on the J-Tool, call or email STBT.
In true truckie fashion, FF Sam Hittle took this technique to a new level and created some additional methods and alternate tool uses for overcoming panic hardware on steel doors without windows for reference. His contributions to Fire Engineering (articles, pictures, and videos) are PHENOMINAL – do yourself a favor and check them out!
In true truckie fashion, FF Sam Hittle took this technique to a new level and created some additional methods and alternate tool uses for overcoming panic hardware on steel doors without windows for reference. His contributions to Fire Engineering (articles, pictures, and videos) are PHENOMINAL – do yourself a favor and check them out!
Thinking Outside The Box
TECH TIP: HYDRA RAM
The Hydra Ram is a tool commonly carried by Engines, Trucks, Rescues, and Paramedic Units. Hydra Rams are used mainly for quickly forcing heavier residential and commercial doors. This tool is very versatile, with 4 inches of spread and 10,000 lbs of spreading force and can also be used in a variety of applications. In this example, it is necessary to lift a heavy object but there is no purchase point (too tight for air bags or a bottle-jack) use a Hydra-Ram to create a
purchase or lift the object.
Courtesy FDNY Squad 18 REMEMBER – ALWAYS CRIB AS YOU GO!!!
The Hydra Ram is a tool commonly carried by Engines, Trucks, Rescues, and Paramedic Units. Hydra Rams are used mainly for quickly forcing heavier residential and commercial doors. This tool is very versatile, with 4 inches of spread and 10,000 lbs of spreading force and can also be used in a variety of applications. In this example, it is necessary to lift a heavy object but there is no purchase point (too tight for air bags or a bottle-jack) use a Hydra-Ram to create a
purchase or lift the object.
Courtesy FDNY Squad 18 REMEMBER – ALWAYS CRIB AS YOU GO!!!
Ladder Spikes
Comming Soon!!!
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Capt. Mulligan's Kitchen
How many times have you reflected on an event from your past and said, “If I only knew then what I know now”? This is typically followed by the over-used euphemisms “Hindsight is 20/20”, “coulda-woulda-shoulda”, and “Who-da-thunk it”. Like you, I often find myself thinking about some of the things I have experienced and how I would do them differently. This self-critique becomes even more beneficial when I’ve sat around and discussed these episodes with my colleagues over a cup of coffee at the firehouse kitchen table, or a few adult beverages at our favorite pub.
Collectively, we have all come to the same conclusion…In our profession there are no “Do-Over’s” on the fire ground, no immunity idols to erase poor performance and mistakes on incident scenes, and no Mulligan’s when we “shank one” during our decision making process.
Capt. Mulligan's Kitchen provides an invaluable opportunity for us to prevent future mistakes by learning from those of our past. Unlike some notorious fire service blog sites, this is not a forum for finger-pointing, Monday-Morning Quarterbacking, or anonymous "bravery" by internet "firefighters". Rather, this is where experienced firefighters take personal accountability and feel an obligation to share their knowledge, mistakes, experiences and triumphs for the benefit of their brother & sister firefighters.
We hope you enjoy and benefit by the case-studies presented below. Please feel free to use them directly or as a format for your own training needs. If you have a case study you would like to post, please adhere to the spirit and intent of this section and email your submission to striketheboxtraining@gmail.com. Thanks.
Collectively, we have all come to the same conclusion…In our profession there are no “Do-Over’s” on the fire ground, no immunity idols to erase poor performance and mistakes on incident scenes, and no Mulligan’s when we “shank one” during our decision making process.
Capt. Mulligan's Kitchen provides an invaluable opportunity for us to prevent future mistakes by learning from those of our past. Unlike some notorious fire service blog sites, this is not a forum for finger-pointing, Monday-Morning Quarterbacking, or anonymous "bravery" by internet "firefighters". Rather, this is where experienced firefighters take personal accountability and feel an obligation to share their knowledge, mistakes, experiences and triumphs for the benefit of their brother & sister firefighters.
We hope you enjoy and benefit by the case-studies presented below. Please feel free to use them directly or as a format for your own training needs. If you have a case study you would like to post, please adhere to the spirit and intent of this section and email your submission to striketheboxtraining@gmail.com. Thanks.
CMK - "Code X-Ray..."
Contributed by Captain James "Jimmy" Payne - Baltimore City FD Rescue 1
Baltimore is a city with roughly about 650,000 residents, the city had well over as million residents at one time. The city has various types of neighborhoods and commercial areas. Just as with any urban city, Baltimore has rows upon rows of
two and three story dwellings. The U.S. Census Bureau lists the city as having over 47,000 vacant buildings. The City Department of Housing and Community Development states that there are only 16,000 with 4,500 being owned by the City. As many know Baltimore has been known for its rich history of fire service. At any given time smoke can be seen in the horizon from a raging
dwelling fire.
Recently the Baltimore City Fire Department implemented a program called
“CODE X-RAY”. This program consists of marking vacant dwellings with a large red square with a reflective “X” inside the marking. This marking is intended to assist the fire service in identifying buildings that are vacant and unstable. As you drive through Baltimore you will find row after row of vacant dwellings with many of “CODE X-RAY” markings in sight. One interesting note is that as to date the Baltimore City Fire
Department does not have an accurate number of dwellings that have been
marked.
Engine 8, Engine 14, Engine 55, Engine 23, Engine 13, Truck 10, Truck 23, Rescue 1, Battalion Chief 3, Battalion Chief 6 respond to “The 1300 block of West Lafayette Ave. reports of fire with people trapped”.
As the first due company you lead off from a hydrant in the same block
as the reported fire and secure a water source. You position your apparatus and
can view only the “alpha” side due to the fact that it is a middle of the group
dwelling. You give a size up as “Engine 8 on the scene with a three
story dwelling, fire showing from the second and third floor, engine 8 will have
command” and notify all units this is a “CODE X-RAY”. Upon performing
additional size up duties (don’t confuse size up duties with the initial radio
report) and with Truck Company 10 close behind preparing to ventilate you
receive several reports from citizens on the street that they are missing their
“Boo” “ She must be inside”……………………..
As a firefighter we are constantly taught “risk a lot to save a lot, and risk
nothing to save nothing”.
When do we decide when to risk a lot or risk nothing?
As a seasoned Firefighter what’s your next move?
Do we follow the procedure of “CODE X-RAY” and not enter the dwelling due to the known safety issues?... or...Do we go to our tool box containing education and experience and begin the split second decision making process…………….?
What are your thoughts?
Use the pictures provided. Remember nothing is ever what it seems………….
There are many acronyms that are used within the fire service to assist with this
process; we will discuss many of the methods next month………..
As always
FTM-PTB
JIM,
B.C.F.D., RESCUE 1
two and three story dwellings. The U.S. Census Bureau lists the city as having over 47,000 vacant buildings. The City Department of Housing and Community Development states that there are only 16,000 with 4,500 being owned by the City. As many know Baltimore has been known for its rich history of fire service. At any given time smoke can be seen in the horizon from a raging
dwelling fire.
Recently the Baltimore City Fire Department implemented a program called
“CODE X-RAY”. This program consists of marking vacant dwellings with a large red square with a reflective “X” inside the marking. This marking is intended to assist the fire service in identifying buildings that are vacant and unstable. As you drive through Baltimore you will find row after row of vacant dwellings with many of “CODE X-RAY” markings in sight. One interesting note is that as to date the Baltimore City Fire
Department does not have an accurate number of dwellings that have been
marked.
Engine 8, Engine 14, Engine 55, Engine 23, Engine 13, Truck 10, Truck 23, Rescue 1, Battalion Chief 3, Battalion Chief 6 respond to “The 1300 block of West Lafayette Ave. reports of fire with people trapped”.
As the first due company you lead off from a hydrant in the same block
as the reported fire and secure a water source. You position your apparatus and
can view only the “alpha” side due to the fact that it is a middle of the group
dwelling. You give a size up as “Engine 8 on the scene with a three
story dwelling, fire showing from the second and third floor, engine 8 will have
command” and notify all units this is a “CODE X-RAY”. Upon performing
additional size up duties (don’t confuse size up duties with the initial radio
report) and with Truck Company 10 close behind preparing to ventilate you
receive several reports from citizens on the street that they are missing their
“Boo” “ She must be inside”……………………..
As a firefighter we are constantly taught “risk a lot to save a lot, and risk
nothing to save nothing”.
When do we decide when to risk a lot or risk nothing?
As a seasoned Firefighter what’s your next move?
Do we follow the procedure of “CODE X-RAY” and not enter the dwelling due to the known safety issues?... or...Do we go to our tool box containing education and experience and begin the split second decision making process…………….?
What are your thoughts?
Use the pictures provided. Remember nothing is ever what it seems………….
There are many acronyms that are used within the fire service to assist with this
process; we will discuss many of the methods next month………..
As always
FTM-PTB
JIM,
B.C.F.D., RESCUE 1
CMK - "Tell Me Why..."
Contributed by Lt. Trevor Steedman - Ocean City (MD) FD
Commercial Building Fire
Structure: 1-Story Masonry Mercantile w/wood box-truss roof. Exposure A - Street. Exposure B - parking lot. Exposure C - Parking lot. Exposure D - Street
Occupancy: Air-brush custom paint shop – Custom fabrications
Arrival Conditions: Heavy volume of black smoke pushing under pressure from entrance door in the middle of the group - Side C (3). Sole occupant (owner) meets Engine Co. on arrival and advises that he was working with an acetelyne torch when fire occured and that he was the only one inside at the time of the fire
Initial Attack: 3-Man crew deployed 2- ½ “ Hand Line through the only entrance to the occupancy on fire.
Progress: No horizontal ventilation points – Vertical Ventilation not in progress. Interior crew is advancing on seat of the fire when...
A rack of burning tires collapses on top of one of the firefighters. Tread rubber had melted away from tire exposing the steel belts. The firefighter was able to free himself from underneath the storage rack, but is now entangled in a giant Slinky™
The Reaction: A MAYDAY was never called
The two other crew members were unaware of situation
Progress on the fire was hampered due to stockpiles of various equipment, tools, spare parts, gas tanks, and full storage racks
Discussion Points: What was the purpose for making entry to this building?
What was the crew’s objective
Would a similar building in a different setting be handled the same way or differently?
...Chat about this one for a bit...the "rest of the story" to be posted soon!
Occupancy: Air-brush custom paint shop – Custom fabrications
Arrival Conditions: Heavy volume of black smoke pushing under pressure from entrance door in the middle of the group - Side C (3). Sole occupant (owner) meets Engine Co. on arrival and advises that he was working with an acetelyne torch when fire occured and that he was the only one inside at the time of the fire
Initial Attack: 3-Man crew deployed 2- ½ “ Hand Line through the only entrance to the occupancy on fire.
Progress: No horizontal ventilation points – Vertical Ventilation not in progress. Interior crew is advancing on seat of the fire when...
A rack of burning tires collapses on top of one of the firefighters. Tread rubber had melted away from tire exposing the steel belts. The firefighter was able to free himself from underneath the storage rack, but is now entangled in a giant Slinky™
The Reaction: A MAYDAY was never called
The two other crew members were unaware of situation
Progress on the fire was hampered due to stockpiles of various equipment, tools, spare parts, gas tanks, and full storage racks
Discussion Points: What was the purpose for making entry to this building?
What was the crew’s objective
Would a similar building in a different setting be handled the same way or differently?
...Chat about this one for a bit...the "rest of the story" to be posted soon!
Worth knowing while you're going...
Worth Knowing While You’re Going… …is a series of monthly training tips designed to provide quick operational tips and safety information. What made this series unique is that it is posted in the firehouse bathrooms…above the urinals and on the inside of the stall doors. Instead of staring at the wall or at the back of the stall door, the member couldn’t help but to read what was in front of him/her. Although it met with some skepticism and criticism at first, this series became somethinng that the members looked forward to each month. It was short, simple, to-the-point, and pertinent to their jobs. Please feel free to download and print the items within this series, or to post your own on STBTraining.com for others to use.
“Everyday is a training day…”
( More Links & Downloads coming soon!!!!!) If you have difficulty accessing them and need them immediately, contact Trevor Steedman at 443-944-4911 or striketheboxtraining@gmail.com and I will email them them to you
“Everyday is a training day…”
( More Links & Downloads coming soon!!!!!) If you have difficulty accessing them and need them immediately, contact Trevor Steedman at 443-944-4911 or striketheboxtraining@gmail.com and I will email them them to you
| wk_adults.pdf |
| wk_hydraram.pdf |
| wk_sweepswitch.pdf |
| wk_quickvent.pdf |
| wk_triplex.pdf |
| wk_electric_co.pdf |
Firefighter Safety – Save Your Skin
The FOUR – S’ (SWEEP, SWITCH, SQUAT,SHIFT) are time-tested safety methods used by interior firefighters. These simple steps reduce contact time with super-heated surfaces and water during firefighting operations. The SWEEP with the hose stream can move broken glass and hypodermic needles out of the path of the advancing crew. Also, experienced firefighters will listen for changes in the hose stream as it hits the floor, walls, ceiling and objects within its path. This technique can help the firefighter keep oriented and give advanced warning of a hole in the floor ahead. Use this method as a tool – Remember to apply water effectively and wisely. The “Spray and Pray” approach wastes valuable time and water and adds weight to an already compromised structure. B - SMART & B - SAFE!
