Larry Hughes
Training Officer,
Murphy (NC) Fire Department
I have taught PPV in many parts of the United States, Canada, and Mexico and have been heavily involved in the research and development of PPV … . Firefighters can be seriously injured or killed in all aspects of firefighting–from driving apparatus to ventilating roofs to laddering buildings.
In North Carolina, we still burn acquired structures. We have test results from homes set up with furniture and carpeting as a home would be. We all agree that training is the key to effective use of PPV, and it is not to be used for everything.
How many structures has the fire service burned down in years past because “that is the way the chief before us did it”? How many departments still pull a booster line? How many officers have actually seen PPV push fire throughout a building resulting in firefighter injury or death or can actually prove that PPV was the blame? All PPV blowers are equipped with some type of switch that allows the blower to be turned off. I have never read anywhere that once you start to use PPV, you can`t shut it down if you think it is not doing what PPV should do … . Departments do not have to be aggressive to use PPV; they can be progressive. Progressive departments save lives and property … . Training is the key to the proper use of PPV. I don`t suggest that a department buy a blower, put it on the truck, read a couple of articles, and use PPV for attack. I do suggest, however, that with the proper training PPV can be used as an attack tool.
