Good strategy and tactics include getting a look at all four sides of a building during size-up, but how about looking at the building from above, too? Using a helicopter, you can preplan buildings and entire neighborhoods.
When we think of preplanning, we always think about tall buildings and other target hazards. Preplanning should not be limited to just these structures but should also consider water supply needs for rural areas, haz-mat sites, and entire neighborhoods that could burn, as did one in Indian Head, Maryland, last December. There, an arson-related fire caused about $10 million in damage at the Hunters Brooke subdivision, near Indian Head in Charles County. Ten homes were destroyed and numerous others were damaged.
 (1, 2) An aerial view allows you to locate drafting sources, view roof elevations, and view other aspects of your response area you would normally not see from the ground. (Photos by author.) |
I arranged to have our local police department fly me over my first-due response district. I took a digital camera and just snapped photos. The brief trip provided me with more than 100 aerial photos of water sources, areas not accessible to heavy apparatus, and structures on private property we never knew existed.
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This brief aerial reconnaissance mission will help us in preplanning for situations involving long hoselays, dead-end roads, and apparatus placement for many years to come.
You, too, may be able to get an aerial view of your response area. If you do, consider the following tips.
THE HELICOPTER
Your department may not be as lucky as the Los Angeles and Honolulu fire departments, which have their own helicopters, but a local police department in your area may. Consider getting your chief to contact the surrounding police departments and arrange for a brief flyover of your response district so you can capture a few dozen photos.
 (3) Have firefighters name the streets and hydrant locations in selected photos. Note the close proximity of these houses. |
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 (4) Fly over and check areas under construction where the hard surface roads are not in place yet. Look for various access locations and exposure problems. |
Helicopter pilots need to maintain flying hours anyway, so you are not wasting fuel! No luck with the local police? Try the state police, the department of forestry, your military connections, or a local television station. On several occasions, our local medical helicopter landed in front of our fire station for a drill. Arrange for the helicopter crew to provide for your firefighters a drill on helicopter operations and patient-loading procedures. Then have the helicopter take you up for a few moments to allow you to shoot some images of your district.
THE CAMERA
Use a digital camera that has three- or four-mega pixel resolution or better so you can enlarge the photo without distortion. Photos taken with a single lens reflex (SLR) camera using print film may become grainy when enlarged, and it is also time-consuming and expensive to process and enlarge print film.
With a digital camera, you can download the images into a computer to crop and enlarge the photos as needed. If possible, adjust the camera to a fast shutter speed to reduce blurring. Although I used the auto mode most of the time, the inherent motion of the helicopter did not blur my images.
WHAT TO SHOOT
My pilot took me up to 550 feet; this allowed me to get excellent coverage in a short time. Have the pilot circle the area to allow you to take pictures of certain buildings or areas from different angles. Look for and take many photos of each of the following:
• Commercial building rooftops;
• Hydrant locations and possible drafting sites for water supply;
• Dead-end roads and turnaround space;
• Large fields and related access problems;
• Exposure problems involving structures in close proximity;
• Terrain and other topographic concerns such as swamps, mountains, and cliffs;
• Residential neighborhoods;
• Construction sites, related hazards, and access problems (e.g., entrances blocked after hours by heavy machinery);
• Excavations sites such as sand and gravel pits and landfills;
• Waterfronts, piers, and docks; and
• Lakes and ponds.
CREATE A DRILL
Once you have downloaded your images into a computer or laptop, you can crop and enlarge them to focus on roof elevations, apparatus access, and any special areas of concern. Burn the images onto a DVD and bring them to the firehouse. Using the station computer, a laptop, or a DVD disk player, view your images one by one. Some programs allow you to zoom in on the image. Use the mouse to manipulate the photo left and right if necessary.
Firefighters in general should identify street names and buildings and focus on aspects of the structure or site related to their specialties. Ladder personnel should describe the particular roof dimensions and type, natural ventilation points, and related strategic information; apparatus drivers should discuss vehicle positioning and collapse zones required for a particular site; and so on.
 (5) What if a person were injured at this sand pit operation? How would you reach the victim? What tools or equipment would be needed on arrival? |
Create drills that allow the participants to discuss possible scenarios, describe applicable tactics, and address possible complications.
Injury or drowning at a lake or pond.
• Enlarge an area of the pond on the monitor. How close can the apparatus approach the scene?
• What equipment would you need?
• How would you describe the location on the radio?
• What is the topography/terrain of the area? How would this affect apparatus placement and rescue/recovery operations?
Fire at private residence with a dead-end driveway.
• What is the estimated driveway length?
• How would a tanker/water shuttle operation be established?
• How and where would you direct incoming units on the radio?
Fully involved commercial building with exposures.
• What is the height (number of floors) of the involved buildings? What special hazards might be present?
• How high are the exposures?
• What is the appropriate collapse zone to set for this occupancy/building type?
• What are the exposures (name of business/type of occupancy)? Are there any special exposure hazards?
• How would the wind direction and speed affect operations?
Haz-mat incident involving a derailed train in middle of a small town.
• What is the wind direction?
• From what direction should personnel/apparatus approach and stage at the site?
• What is the recommended minimum distance to stage from the haz mat?
• What are the evacuation requirements? How many people need to be evacuated, how far, and where can the evacuees be sheltered?
• Where could a triage area be set up?
• What is the runoff path? How does it need to be directed and contained?
Report of child missing in forest.
• Where should the command post be located?
• What is the area’s terrain/topography; what inherent hazards does it present to searchers?
• Where would you stage apparatus, volunteer searchers, and media?
• What is the appropriate search pattern for this situation?
Aerial photos are also useful for promoting your department, identifying possible future fire station locations, and more. Keep a copy of the DVD disk at the fire station so it can be used often.
So, go forth and get your wings! It is exhilarating and truly provides you with a different perspective of your community. The images you take today will be helpful for many years. New recruits and new apparatus drivers will benefit immediately from these images by learning their response district from the air as well as from the ground. ■
Author’s note: Special thanks to Virginia Beach (VA) Police Department Officer Clarence Garvin for providing the helicopter flight.
■ MARTIN C. GRUBE is a 26-year veteran of the Virginia Beach (VA) Fire Department, assigned to Engine Co. 13. He is master firefighter, a Virginia-certified fire instructor, and the department historian and photographer.
