There are many pieces of power equipment in the fire service cache that operate at high pressure, high torque, and high speed. Each piece of equipment is manufactured to exacting standards. The positive-pressure ventilation blower is one inventory item that has improved ventilation procedures and made the interior attack less risky. The benefits of this adjunct are best realized when the user receives extensive training and is familiar with the manufacturer’s operating instructions.
Once the equipment goes in service, many of the cautions are forgotten; even simple operating procedures are lost or short cut. The results of these simple omissions can be catastrophic, as in this week’s featured report:
“We responded to an incident for smoke in the building. Engine [1] was already on scene and had determined the cause of the smoke in the building was a light ballast that had failed and overheated. They called for the ladder company to set up ventilation on the “C” side of the building…FF [a] and I returned to the ladder truck to get the [name deleted] PPV fan…There was a small amount of snow in the blade area- maybe an inch or so. We turned the fan over to get some of the snow out…I turned the PPV fan to face away from the door so that the residual snow would not blow into the building. The fan started without hesitation and nothing seemed out of the ordinary…I pushed at the wheel and pulled the handle in the opposite direction to get the fan to spin toward the doorway. At this time the fan made a load noise…so I covered up and shut down the throttle. It wasn’t until I shut down the motor that I realized that the shroud…”
A manufacturer’s operating manual is provided with all power equipment. These manuals can be highly detailed with pages of warnings and dos and don’ts that can make your eyes glaze. However, the warnings need to be heeded to prevent similar instances like the one above. Once you have read the entire account (HERE), consider the following:
1. Has your department’s PPV training included a segment taught by a manufacturer’s representative?
2. When did you last have an in station drill on the PPV blower carried on your apparatus?
3. Do you have ready access to the manufacturer’s operating manuals for the PPV blower carried on your apparatus?
4. If the answer to #3 is no, where can you obtain a copy of the manual(s)?
5. Have you ever moved a PPV blower while it was operating at full throttle?
Had a near miss with a PPV blower? Submit your story to www.firefighternearmiss.com today.
Note: The questions posed by the reviewers are designed to generate discussion and thought in the name of promoting firefighter safety. They are not intended to pass judgment on the actions and performance of individuals in the reports.
