Los Angeles F.D. Takes to the Air
FIREFIGHTING TACTICS
Distance, difficult terrain, and traffic congestion are strategic factors that LAFD has overcome.
The scope of fire suppression and rescue operations are becoming broader and more demanding; the urban environment is congested to the point of reducing response time. Fire protection planning must take into consideration all factors impeding the ability of emergency personnel to deliver their services to the community.
New concepts involving apparatus, equipment and utilization of available personnel are continually being evaluated. An integral part of these evaluations are the use of helicopters, fixed wing aircraft and other aerial devices.
The concept of “airborne teams” is not entirely a new idea for the Los Angeles City, CA, Fire Department (LAFD). During a high-rise fire about eight years ago, a fire attack team was flown to the roof of the building for firefighting and logistics placement. The LAFD has also flown emergency personnel, via helicopter, to incidents in remote and otherwise inaccessible areas.
In order to improve emergency service operations in Los Angeles, Chief Engineer Donald O. Manning directed that a new program of expanded helicopter use be developed. Last year, a viable program called Ffelicopter, Airborne Fire/Rescue was put into operation.
Program methodology
A feasibility study was started by an ad hoc committee in the spring of 1983. This committee was directed to examine the emergency response methods employed by other agencies using air transport. Fire and police departments and military air operations were the nuclei of information.
The types of emergency incidents for which operational plans needed to be developed were; structural fires, including high-rise construction; brush fires; ship fires; natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, etc.); hazardous material incidents; transportation incidents (traffic accidents and extrication); multi-casualty disasters; emergency medical incidents in isolated or hard-to-reach locations; and other “unusual” incidents.
In January 1983, the committee had formulated several elements of the helicopter program:
- Airborne engine company. The delivery of personnel and equipment to an incident, with the capability to unload, lay a line and perform fire suppression operations.
- Airborne task force/engine company. The delivery of personnel and equipment to the roof of a high-rise building, with the capability to unload hose packs and equipment necessary to be able to perform high-rise incident operations.
- Airborne hazardous material teams. The delivery of a hazardous material team to an incident when traffic or hazardous vapors prevent the standard response patterns. This includes delivering hazardous material response teams from locations that are a considerable distance from the incident.
- Air ambulance (air mobile intensive care unit). The deliver of two paramedics with equipment and supplies to an EMS incident.
- Airborne rappeling teams. The delivery of equipment and specially trained firefighters and paramedics who rappel into an incident where a landing is not possible.
In addition to these five elements. plans were made to airlift personnel and equipment from different geographical areas of the city, and eliminate time and travel problems caused by long distances, congestion and terrain upheaval during earthquakes. The final steps in the methodology were the development of lesson plans, visual aids, quick reference guide sheets to be carried on all apparatus, and subsequent schedules for training of all personnel affected.
Training methods
The training of all LAFD firefighters to assist the helicopter program was implemented in October 1983. In this way, airborne engine, ambulance, and hazardous material operations can be handled by any fire company in the city. This task force training includes:
- Classroom presentation of lesson plans.
- Audiovisuals on helicopter safety and airborne operations.
- Actual hands-on manipulative training using one of the department’s four large helicopters.
- Final training involving actual loading, flight, unloading, and simulated fire attack.
The training course for firefighter/ paramedic rappelers is a special progrant that began in the fall of 1983, and has been adopted as part of LAFD’s annual training operations. Training includes developing procedures and videotapes. An ongoing analysis of training methods is conducted using time study volunteers.
Description of operations —airborne engine company
Personnel, equipment, and a helicopter assemble at a staging area. Hose, fittings, and equipment (600 feet of 2 1/2inch hose, lightweight hose packs, fittings, self-contained breathing apparatus, etc.) are loaded into the helicopter in a predetermined manner. Emergency personnel then board, and the helicopter responds to the incident. Landings can be accomplished in most streets or intersections, vacant lots, etc.
An adequate water supply is essential. If hydrants are unusable, an alternate water source must be found. Pools, lakes, etc., can be used with the help of a five-pound portable pump using a floating or drafting method. Field evaluations conducted revealed that an engine company with four members using a hydrant supply can lay 600 feet of 2 1/2-inch hose (fire to hydrant) and begin firefighting operations within five minutes of the helicopter leaving the scene.
Once personnel and equipment are unloaded, the helicopter leaves the immediate area. This allows more room for tactical operations and makes a helicopter available for additional airborne teams or other missions.
Task force/engine company for high-rise emergencies
Helicopters can be used for a high-rise fire or a multi-story structural fire when a satisfactory touchdown area or a heliport is available on the roof.
A helicopter responds to meet the task force at a staging area (as close to the incident as possible). Task force manning in Los Angeles is currently 10, which includes two captains, two engineers, one apparatus operator, and five firefighters. After personnel and equipment are loaded into the helicopter, they are delivered to the roof of the building.
Loading and unloading time developed during the evaluation are both under four minutes. In one training session, a task force and two engine companies were delivered to the roof of a high-rise building from a staging area a half-mile away within 15 minutes.
The strategy employed by the incident commander would be a fire attack from both above and below the fire floor. The fire attack from above would aid in effective vertical ventilation and smoke removal, and reduce fire spread. A “top side” staging on the roof should be considered.
Air ambulance/EMS operations
For years, helicopters have been used for emergency medical incidents by a number of private and governmental agencies. Military air evacuation, begun in the 1950s, has always been very effective. The Los Angeles County Fire Department has had an air ambulance/air squad in service in the northwest areas of Los Angeles County for about 10 years.
Our concept is that any Los Angeles fire department paramedic ambulance can be part of an airborne ambulance operation. Four of our helicopters are capable of receiving a special EMS module (which contains an aluminum frame stretcher and specific areas to store mobile intensive care unit equipment). An ambulance meets the helicopter at a staging area, equipment is loaded, and the helicopter responds to the incident.
A typical scenario would be a serious freeway accident, where normal ground transportation would not be possible due to traffic congestion. The air ambulance can land on the freeway, treat the injured, and transport them to the nearest hospital. In some cases, it may be necessary to include engine company personnel to support EMS operations.
The LAFD Helicopter Company is located in the San Fernando Valley at the Van Nuys Airport. Presently, there are five paramedic ambulances trained to become airborne ambulances upon request from an incident commander. The ambulance responds to the helicopter company, equipment is loaded, paramedics board the aircraft, and the helicopter responds. This delivers an air ambulance to the emergency incident with paramedics on board.
Airborne hazardous material operations
The handling of hazardous material incidents often requires extensive evacuation, and in cases involving vapor travel, an upwind approach to the incident is imperative. This may not be possible by a conventional land approach. The Los Angeles Fire Department has three hazardous material response teams called Strategic Chemical Attack Teams (SCAT) and a mobile laboratory. The configuration of the equipment carried on these units is such that it can be loaded into a helicopter.
The SCAT team meets the helicopter at a staging area, loads equipment, boards the aircraft, and responds to the incident. This is a definite advantage if congestion and evacuation are causing response delays. The movement of SCAT teams to the harbor and mutual aid areas of Los Angeles County, is accomplished more effectively using the airborne concept.
Rappeling operations
There are instances when and locations where a helicopter cannot land. To deliver personnel and equipment at these times and to maintain the highest degree of operational flexibility, the LAFD conducts special courses to train personnel to rappel into such incidents from the hovering aircraft.
The rappeling techniques have been developed by 15 highly capable instructors, both firefighters and paramedics. These members all have had previous experience with military para-rescue recovery, reconnaissance, air assault, and the air delivery of personnel and equipment to ships.
Rappeling from the helicopter is done at an average elevation of 80 feet. Rappeling lines are released to the ground in a storage bag or the rappeler brings the line with him by attaching the storage bag to his personal harness. Members can rappel individually or two at a time.
The group developed “accuracy rappels” into confined spaces, such as roofs of buildings and isolated canyons. Techniques for cliff rescues using a “capture” system has been very effective. The capture system is described as a rappeler, carrying a second life belt, descending to a trapped victim. He attaches the life belt to the victim, and both rescuer and his charge are then lowered to safety on the same rope.
Safety, not speed, is the top priority in all airborne operations. Every emergency team has at least two members who rappel into incidents with all necessary supplies and equipment. The use of precise military procedures, and state-of-the-art equipment (carabiners, figure-eights, and special lifelines) contribute greatly to safety.
In preparation for the summer Olympics, 25 emergency personnel (in addition to the original 15 rappelers) have been trained in rappeling.
Future use and special equipment
The present airborne fire/rescue operation uses the standard hose and equipment carried on all Los Angeles fire apparatus, including lightweight high-rise hose packs. The viability of equipping helicopters with lightweight hose, fittings, nozzles, miscellaneous equipment, and aluminum hose trays is being evaluated. Special hose and equipment trays may be manufactured to attach to the underside or sides of the helicopter. It may be possible to land and release this equipment, thus reducing unloading time.
The airborne fire/rescue program is an added operational capability. It has improved our ability to deliver fire suppression and emergency medical services, particularly in incidents where normal access is not possible. Heavy traffic congestion and unusual incidents, especially during 1984 Olympic activities, are just some of the everyday obstacles that the helicopter teams will aid LAFD in overcoming.
