BY JOHN “SKIP” COLEMAN
I was surprised by the response this month. Of the 31 responses, only eight (25 percent) said their department had developed plans for such failures; five said their departments had no plans; 18 said nothing concerning their department’s plans. However, the encouraging news is that all respondents had individual or departmental plans. Some of the comments follow.
Question: Does your department have a plan for times when a technological device you are using failsfor example, what if the thermal imaging camera (TIC) fails after a crew enters an immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) atmosphere or if you’re in trouble and your PASS device fails to activate?
Rick Lasky, chief, Lewisville (TX) Fire Department:We must make sure that we train our people in what to do when a technological device we’ve become accustomed to using fails.
Thomas Dunne, deputy chief, Fire Department of New York: SCBA, radios, gas-monitoring devices, and TICs are great assets, but there is a danger in relying too much on technology. We can use technological devices, but not at the expense of losing basic firefighting principles.
Jim Mason, lieutenant, Chicago (IL) Fire Department: To prepare for a malfunctioning TIC, we need to size up and focus on the orientation of the search prior to entry. For a failed PASS, we need to maintain crew continuity inside the burning structure so we can tell our partner if we are experiencing any of the classic Mayday problemsout of air, lost, significantly hurt, or trapped, for example.
Many years ago when the first power saw came to the fire service, it was just another tool to bring to the roof for vertical ventilation, in addition to the first tool that always workedthe ax. Truckies then would take both tools for the times when the saw failed because of a lack of oxygen. When that “new” technology failed, the secondary plan was the same as it is today: Go back to the basics.
Gary Seidel, chief, Hillsboro (OR) Fire Department:We need to train in what to do when technological devices are not operating. Train in how to avoid unfamiliar situations and in knowing what to do when technology fails.
Craig H. Shelley, fire protection advisor, Saudi Arabia:Our department does not have a policy or training for such an event. We are, however, implementing firefighter safety and survival training, which will incorporate such training. Having seen the technological advances over the years and our reliance on the equipment that has been developed, there is a need for such training.
Jeffrey Schwering, lieutenant, Crestwood (MO) Department of Fire Services:We have no specific on-paper plan, but we have taken proactive steps to ensure that all the technological devices we carry function properly on the fireground. Every firefighter should have his own plan for when something happens on the fireground. It is called training.
Mike Mason, lieutenant, Downers Grove (IL) Fire Department: The primary proactive behavior in preventing these malfunctions is checking your thermal imaging camera and SCBA thoroughly at the start of each tour of duty.
Mike Bucy, assistant chief, Portage (IN) Fire Department:We train our firefighters how to fend for themselves in case of unexpected events. Technology is awesome, and its uses are growing, but nothing compares with the best tool at a firefighter’s disposalhis brain.
Barry Matthews, deputy chief, Fairview (NY) Fire Department:When all else fails, go back to basics.
Ron Ayotte, deputy chief, Marlborough (MA) Fire Department: Remember that Murphy is on every fireground and that, despite our best efforts, things can and do go wrong at the worst possible moment. Training in the basics, such as maintaining situational awareness, is the key to dealing with technological failures.
Anthony Riehl, firefighter, Hackensack (NJ) Fire Department: Whenever my department trains on an evolution that includes electronic equipment, we reinforce throughout that evolution that the use of these tools should not replace basic skills, good judgment, and use of the senses. We must train regularly to keep our basic skills sharp and to avoid falling into a false sense of security.
Cleighton Tourtellotte, deputy chief, Oxford (MA) Fire Department: We have a good preventive maintenance program. We also plan for redundancy: We have multiples of most equipment readily available at any general-alarm response. We also train and ensure adequate communications. Technology must be used in conjunction with solid firefighting tactics and a sense of personal and crew safety.
Go to http://emberly.fireengineering.com to read all the complete responses and to comment further on this topic. Let us know what you think! That’s an important part of how we learn.
John “Skip” Coleman retired as assistant chief from the Toledo (OH) Department of Fire and Rescue. He is a technical editor of Fire Engineering; a member of the FDIC Educational Advisory Board; and author ofIncident Management for the Street-Smart Fire Officer (Fire Engineering, 1997), Managing Major Fires (Fire Engineering, 2000), and Incident Management for the Street-Smart Fire Officer, Second Edition (Fire Engineering, 2008).
