Chapter 14 Emergency Operations at Fires and Other Emergencies

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Chapter 14Emergency Operations at Fires and
Other Emergencies
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Introduction

• Personnel can be divide into two general areas,
  operations and support
• Fundamental role of fire department is to respond
  to emergencies
• Incident type determines which personnel will
  respond
• Multiple agencies may show up at an incident to
  determine objectives, strategies, and tactics
• Law enforcement and other agencies assist and
  sometimes command incidents with fire department

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Learning Objective 1 16 Firefighter Life Safety
Initiatives

• FIREFIGHTER LIFE SAFETY INITIATIVES
• Cultural change
• Personal and organizational accountability
• Risk management
• Stop unsafe practices
• Training qualifications
• Cont.

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Learning Objective 1 16 Firefighter Life Safety
Initiatives

• FIREFIGHTER LIFE SAFETY INITIATIVES
• Medical and physical fitness standards
• Data collection system
• Utilize available technology
• Investigate all firefighter fatalities
• Safe practices
• Cont.

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Learning Objective 1 16 Firefighter Life Safety
Initiatives

• FIREFIGHTER LIFE SAFETY INITIATIVES
• Response policies and procedures
• Response to violent incidents
• Counseling and psychological support
• Public education
• Enforcement of codes
• Apparatus and equipment

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Learning Objective 1 16 Firefighter Life Safety
Initiatives

• PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF THE 16 INITIATIVES
• Duty and responsibility
• Firefighter maintenance program
• Rehab guidelines
• Passengers when responding to incidents
• Drivers responding to incidents
• Interior firefighting

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Learning Objective 1 16 Firefighter Life Safety
Initiatives

• RAPID INTERVENTION TEAMS
• Immediate rescue effort
• Standing by in full PPE
• Equipment and clothing same as entry team
• Firefighter Assist and Search Teams (FAST)

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Learning Objective 1 16 Firefighter Life Safety
Initiatives

• TWO IN, TWO OUT
• OSHA regulation
• Applies to fires beyond ignition stage
• Only exception is threat of imminent danger
• Visual or voice contact at all times

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Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 Roles and
Limitations of the Fire Department Safety
Considerations at Different Emergencies

• STRUCTURE FIREFIGHTING
• Basic responsibility of fire department
• Structure loss to a minimum
• Primary search
• Coordinated attack
• Cont.

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Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 Roles and
Limitations of the Fire Department Safety
Considerations at Different Emergencies

• STRUCTURE FIREFIGHTING
• Ventilation issues
• SCBA
• Leather gloves and boots
• Other building contents
• Structural collapse
• Cont.

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Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 Roles and
Limitations of the Fire Department Safety
Considerations at Different Emergencies

• STRUCTURE FIREFIGHTING
• Clandestine drug lab
• Flame and smoke indicators
• Second way out
• Do not freelance
• High-rise firefighting
• Electricity

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Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 Roles and
Limitations of the Fire Department Safety
Considerations at Different Emergencies

• SPRINKLERED OCCUPANCIES
• Causes of unsatisfactory performance
• Departments should establish SOPs
• Check all valves
• Turn off only portion in affected area for
  overhaul
• Conduct investigation

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Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 Roles and
Limitations of the Fire Department Safety
Considerations at Different Emergencies

• ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS
• Substations and vaults
• High potential for electrocution
• Fog patterns or short bursts
• General rule use electric company staff for
  guides
• Without power, Class C fire reverts to A, B, D,
  or K

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Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 Roles and
Limitations of the Fire Department Safety
Considerations at Different Emergencies

• WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING
• Basic methods of extinguishment
• Backfire
• Wildland safety
• Ten Standing Fire Orders
• 18 Situations That Shout Watch Out
• Cont.

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Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 Roles and
Limitations of the Fire Department Safety
Considerations at Different Emergencies

• WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING
• Common causes for tragedy and near-miss incidents
• LCES
• F LCES ?
• Look up, look down, look around
• Main message is safety

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Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 Roles and
Limitations of the Fire Department Safety
Considerations at Different Emergencies

• WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE/INTERMIX
• Foothills and mountainous areas
• Firefighters must be in the path of the advancing
  fire
• Protect as many structures as possible
• TRIAGE
• PROTECTION

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Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 Roles and
Limitations of the Fire Department Safety
Considerations at Different Emergencies

• OIL FIREFIGHTING
• Skill that needs to be developed
• Extinguish fire and control leaks
• Confine the fire and protect exposures
• Should be accompanied by refinery employees

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Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 Roles and
Limitations of the Fire Department Safety
Considerations at Different Emergencies

• THREE MAIN PROBLEMS
• Boil over
• Slop over
• Froth over
• Tanks with a cone roof
• Tanks with a floating roof

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Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 Roles and
Limitations of the Fire Department Safety
Considerations at Different Emergencies

• GASOLINE SPILLS
• Requires that vapors be controlled
• Should not enter area of spill
• LIQUID PETROLEUM GAS (LPG)
• Tanks are built to withstand high pressures
• BLEVE

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Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 Roles and
Limitations of the Fire Department Safety
Considerations at Different Emergencies

• HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENTS
• Becoming more common
• Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act
• Regular PPE not designed for hazardous materials
• Isolate, identify, and deny entry
• Set up perimeters
• Cont.

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Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 Roles and
Limitations of the Fire Department Safety
Considerations at Different Emergencies

• HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENTS
• Identify the material involved
• After positive identification
• Diking or berming
• Diverting
• Controlling

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Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 Roles and
Limitations of the Fire Department Safety
Considerations at Different Emergencies

• WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
• Take human lives and cause panic and disruption
• Chemical
• Biological
• Radioactive
• Nuclear
• Explosive

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Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 Roles and
Limitations of the Fire Department Safety
Considerations at Different Emergencies

• EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS) OPERATIONS
• Exposure to bloodborne and airborne pathogens
• Category 1 employees are at greatest risk for
  exposure
• Personnel should have proper PPE
• Universal precautions
• Body substance isolation
• Cont.

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Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 Roles and
Limitations of the Fire Department Safety
Considerations at Different Emergencies

• VEHICLE ACCIDENTS
• Class B foam for spilled fuel
• If spilled fuel, do not use power tools
• VEHICLE FIRES
• Can have all the hazards of a structure fire
• Full PPE and SCBA should be worn

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Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 Roles and
Limitations of the Fire Department Safety
Considerations at Different Emergencies

• AIRCRAFT FIREFIGHTING
• Aircraft present many different hazards
• First priority, is to create a path
• Make entry to the aircraft
• Complete overhaul of the scene

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Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 4 Roles and
Limitations of the Fire Department Safety
Considerations at Different Emergencies

• EMS AND FIREFIGHTING WITH AIRCRAFT
• Most common encounter with rescue is the
  helicopter
• Rules for working around helicopters
• Setting up a landing zone
• Items pilot should be aware of
• Planes or helicopters may drop
• water or retardant

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Learning Objective 5 Firefighter Safety and
Decision Making

• CREW RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (CRM)
• Assumes human error is primary cause for injuries
• CRM based on five elements
• Communication
• Situational awareness
• Decision making
• Teamwork
• Barriers

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Learning Objective 5 Firefighter Safety and
Decision Making

• 2 7 TOOL
• Two errors
• Underestimating hazards
• Failing to notice changing conditions
• Seven barriers
• Inexperience
• Cont.

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Learning Objective 5 Firefighter Safety and
Decision Making

• 2 7 TOOL
• Getting too comfortable
• Distraction from primary duty
• Priorities out of order
• Social influences
• Stress reaction
• Physical impairment

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Summary

• Numerous safety rules can be applied to a wide
  range of situations
• Training programs are available for different
  incident types
• Every situation has its own set of hazards, and
  it is your responsibility to provide for personal
  safety and the safety of others
• Train yourself to evaluate situations as they
  arise
• Decision-making skills are critical for safety
• Remain constantly vigilant