Like Clockwork

By Michael N. Ciampo

Starting up the apparatus AND hearing the buzzing of the low-air-pressure alarm is always aggravating, especially when we are responding first due for a fire in a dwelling. Luckily, the air pressure built up quickly, and there wasn’t a delay in responding or much traffic on the streets in the early morning hours. As we entered the block slowly so we wouldn’t pass the fire, it was very difficult for us to spot the address because the building had a protective sidewalk scaffold shed in front of it. These scaffolds are put in place to protect people while the building’s façade is being repaired or renovated. They often hinder our ability to see the building’s address, especially if the numbers haven’t been placed on the outside of the scaffold.

We’ve also had a couple of incidents with scaffolds at other fires. Many times the fire escape’s drop ladder opening is protected by a piece of plywood that has a heavy weight (cinderblocks, bags of cement) on it so nobody can climb up the piping and gain access onto the platform through this opening to break into an apartment. If you have difficulty removing the barrier, just throw a portable ladder to the outside of the scaffold for access. Plus, the opening’s size may be questionable for a firefighter wearing self-contained breathing apparatus. Always use caution while attempting to remove the barrier; stand under a protective area, if possible, and watch out for other materials dropping downward while you remove it. Just like when you are releasing the drop ladder on a fire escape, always stand under the first-floor balcony for protection. This way, in case the ladder falls out of its guide rails, it won’t fall outward and onto you.

Pulling up to the five-story dwelling, we saw one civilian holding the front door open, and we could see straight down the 30-foot public hallway to the rear. One of the two side-by-side apartment doors was wide open and pumping out black smoke, which was quickly going up the adjoining open interior stairs. We could hear screams of panicking civilians as we approached the apartment door. Quickly, we pulled the door almost completely closed to limit the rising smoke and allow the people exiting down the stairs a pathway to safety. As a few families clutching children in their arms passed us, we opened the door again and lay flat on the floor. We could see about two feet off the floor and could tell there were three rooms on the left (from seeing the base of the door frames) prior to losing all visibility. From experience and learning the layout of these apartments, we knew the three doors on the left were most likely a bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen, but we weren’t sure which order they would be in. While lying there, we used the thermal imaging camera to read the smoke and heat conditions. Again, we quickly closed the door as the smoke began to swirl violently and emit from the doorway under pressure.

Now the second-due truck was at our position. We communicated briefly, and the decision was made to hold off on our advance until they made the floor above. They passed us and began to operate on the narrow landing on the floor above in a light smoke condition because we held the door. They also had peace of mind that we were controlling the fire apartment door in case fire emitted from this location. In these buildings, years of oil-based or vandal-resistant paint adds a sufficient fire load in the stairwells. Since time wasn’t on their side, they used the hydraulic forcible entry tool to quickly gain access into the apartment on the floor above while also forcing another door on that floor for an area of refuge in case conditions worsened.

As we donned our face pieces, we could hear the sound of the hydraulic tool and the popping of the doors above. Just as we were about to enter, the outside vent firefighter reported that there was heavy fire out two windows in the rear, autoexposing to the floor above, and people were trapped on the fire escape. Immediately, he called for a forcible entry saw and a 24-foot extension ladder. With his luck, he encountered a chain link fence with razor wire on top in the rear yard blocking access to the fire building from the alleyway. He was able to insert the halligan tool’s pick at the wire ties on the post and pry them off, but the contractor installed the bottom of the fence into the concrete so he couldn’t raise the bottom of the fence to slide under it. Another firefighter arrived with a saw and ladder. They cut the fence and then removed the people out of harm’s way either with the ladder or by putting them in another apartment on the floors above. With the news that the fire was already autoexposing, members immediately stretched a second hoseline to the floor above.

As all of these events were happening simultaneously, the engine company had already reached our position. It was a short stretch to the first floor, and they were calling for water for their advance into the apartment. As the line was charged, the sound of the hissing air bleeding from the hoseline was welcome news to our ears.

We opened the door and noticed that the smoke was still under pressure and swirling as it exited the apartment; the camera was picking up waves of fire at the end of the hallway. We decided to enter the apartment and search the rooms on the left and let the engine proceed down the narrow hallway in front of us. Going in front of them made no sense because of the narrowness of the hallway and the fire’s location. Bunching up in the hallway would only cause problems, especially if conditions rapidly deteriorated. Aggressive interior and exterior operations occurred simultaneously throughout this fire. Finally, we had one incident go like clockwork despite the challenges we faced, all because of our training, operational procedures, and experience.

● MICHAEL N. CIAMPO is a 27-year veteran of the fire service and a lieutenant in the Fire Department of New York. Previously, he served with the District of Columbia Fire Department. He has a bachelor’s degree in fire science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. He is the lead instructor for the FDIC Truck Essentials H.O.T. program. He wrote the Ladder chapter and co-authored the Ventilation chapter for Fire Engineering’s Handbook for Firefighter I and II (Fire Engineering, 2009) and is featured in “Training Minutes” truck company videos on www.FireEngineering.com.