Today’s structural personal protective equipment (PPE) ensemble allows firefighters to enter hostile environments like never before. The gear is designed to withstand temperatures far in excess of what the unprotected human systems can withstand. This capability, however, is somewhat of a double-edged sword. We may be able to function in non-survivable environments due to the protection, but when the protection breaks down our exposure to injury accelerates. The structural firefighting ensemble was devised to provide firefighters with protection to fight fires, and a last line of defense should a fire flashover. As the reporter in this week’s featured firefighter near-miss report notes, there were warning signs prior to entry that should have given him pause.
“…The room was fully involved. I made an attempt to force entry to the steel door. Due to the heat, the door had expanded. I was finally able to gain entry. I immediately applied water to the props and fire.The props did not extinguish as they were designed. I went from a kneeling position to lying on my side due to the heat inside the trailer. I felt the side of my face and left arm burning. I immediately turned around to the other crew members and advised them that it was too hot and we needed to exit. The safety officer (whom was also in trailer) immediately began yelling for everyone to exit…”
Many of us have participated in training burns at training facilities where doors and windows have been warped from repeated heat exposure. As the reporter cites in this week’s report, the high heat that had expanded the door should have been a clue that the situation was indeed intense and the failure of the prop to react to the application of water should have been a warning to leave the room. Once you have read the entire account (CLICK HERE), consider the following:
Fixation is the term used to describe the attention level that prevents other relative information from getting to our brain. The task level firefighter can become fixated very quickly on their assignment. Officers can become fixated as well as they fulfill tactical assignments. Knowing that fixation prevents information flow, which is critical for all firefighters to be aware of. Officers in particular need to be cognizant of information not being received due to their own fixation. Good decisions are based on processing and reacting to the information. It is critical to interpret the signs and signals a fire transmits in order to have a more informed, organized and safe operation.
