LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Hepatitis C: a new threat
Beware: There’s a strain of hepatitis called hepatitis C. I know of this disease because I was diagnosed with hepatitis C in the spring of 1991. Fatigue may be the only apparent symptom, and more often the infected individual has no symptoms at all. If not treated in time, up to 50 percent of patients with hepatitis C die w ithin 15 years from cancer or cirrhosis of the liver.
Transmission of hepatitis C as of the time of this writing is only through blood or blood products. Transfusions. dirty needles, or blood-to-blood exposures in healthcare workers are so far the only known documented modes of transmission. It is also estimated that up to 40 percent of hepatitis C cases have no known mode of transmission.
Hepatitis C affects approximately 170,000 Americans per year. Patients with chronic hepatitis C may experience fatigue, irritability, nausea, loss of appetite, muscle aches, headaches, joint pain, and color change in their urine.
There is no known cure for hepatitis C, but it can be put into remission.
I am currently receiving injections of interferon three times weekly under the guidance of specialists at the Mayo Clinic. Healthcare workers who have hepatitis C are not being taken out of the workforce, so don’t be afraid to come forward. This disease can and will kill you.
If you do come forward, let me explain a few things that could happen to you. After 1 had approached the fire chief and informed him of my diagnosis, one of the senior officers in my department said that I must have picked up my hepatitis C from a sandwich while on vacation in Mexico. When I told my fellow workers of my diagnosis, I got a mixed reaction. Rumors became rampant, and there was much unfounded concern that other firefighters could catch the disease just by being with me.
A healthcare worker from our local hospital gave a talk at the station on hepatitis C and calmed some of the fears and phobias. This is a blood-toblood disease with no other known mode of transmission.
1 recently have been rejected for workers’ compensation, which I am fighting since I am positive that my work as a firefighter is the only way I could have acquired hepatitis C. I have more than 125 documented blood exposures in my seven years as a firefighter.
If you think you may be at risk, have your blood tested. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact the American Liver Foundation at (800) 223-0179.
James Petrowitz La Crosse, Wisconsin
Trunking system not dependable
I would like to address “Trunking Radio Communications Systems” (Fire Engineering, January 1992). We have been on the trunking system for about six years, and I served as an alarm office supervisor when our system was relatively new. Tile trunking system would work fine for all nonemergency agencies, but for the rest of us it cannot be depended on. This state-of-the-art system has major flaws.
- The operating system causes a delay when the mike is first keyed up. When the mike is keyed, the radio transmits a message to the trunk manager requesting a channel. Then the manager sends a message back to the radio saying, “OK, here’s your channel” (in the form of three quick tones) —all before a transmission can be made. Personnel who key up and just start talking have the first part of their transmission cut off.
- I have received a busy channel tone numerous times in the field on emergency runs during peak and nonpeak times. (Our system also is prioritized.)
- In the past six years we have lost ail communications at least three times that I know of—and at the worst possible times. The trunk manager is a computer. It has failed and will fail during peak usage, and when it goes down you can talk to no one—alarm, other units, no one. Personnel then have to resort to a conventional channel to restore communications. Imagine losing all communications the busiest night of the year. It’s a nightmare!
- The system goes down completely when transmission towers are lost. This also has happened.
With the conventional radio channels, if the base station or any unit quits working or if the radio towers are lost, personnel (alarm office and line) only have to pick up a portableradio to be back in service.
Shan A. English
Lieutenant
Arlington (IX) Fire Department
Juvenile firesetting
As program director of the National Juvenile Firesetter/Arson Control and Prevention Program, first let me commend the article “Juvenile Firesetting: An Old Problem Gets a New Look” by Mary Jane Dittmar (December 1991). The article presented much needed information about the problem of juvenile firesetting and appropriate interventions.
Although the discussion of the National Juvenile Firesetter/Arson Control and Prevention Program (sidebar, page 59) was quite accurate, it failed to mention an invaluable member of the development team and one of the primary authors of the materials—Dr. Jessica Gaynor. Dr. Gaynor has served as a consultant to the Institute for Social Analysis for the past three years and has been involved in all aspects of the national program, including program development, pretesting, and training and technical assistance.
Dr. Gaynor is a clinical psychologist in San Francisco and the author of The Psychology of Child Firesetting. She has spent much of her career counseling juvenile fircsettcrs and their families, serving as a consultant to the l S. Fire Administration, and helping numerous fire departments and city agencies launch juvenile firesetter programs.
Rebekah K. Hersch
Program Director
Institute for Social Analysis
Alexandria. Virginia
I am writing to commend Mary Jane Dittmar, associate editor, on the December 1991 article, “Juvenile Firesetting: An Old Problem Gets a New Look.” 1 was very pleased to see how comprehensively the topic was addressed. It is obvious that she went to great measures to obtain the most recent information from a variety of sources.
I would like to clarify a piece of information in the article. It was stated that National Fire Service Support Systems. Inc. recently developed a handbook to guide mental health professionals in counseling children whose fire use goes beyond the curiosity stage. 1 believe 1 was referring to the chapter that Drs. Robert Cole. Wendy Grolnick, and I have coauthored for the forthcoming Handbook of Prescriptive Treatments for Children and Adolescents (ed. R. Ammerman, C. Last and M. Hersen), to be published this summer by Pergamon Press. This chapter focuses on mental health professionals’ treatment of juvenile firesetters.
We publish a separate Fireproof Children Handbook, designed to guide fire service personnel, public service agencies, and law enforcement and mental health professionals in developing a community intervention program for children involved with fire.
I also appreciate your lioting us as a resource in the article and would like to inform readers that the phone number is correct, but our address has changed. The new address is National Fire Service Support Systems, Inc.; Canal Park Building; 20 N. Main Street; Pittsford, NY 14534.
Paul Schwartzman
President
National Fire Service Support
Systems, Inc.
Pittsford, New York
Radiation meter note
I am responding to “More on radiation” (Letters to the Editor, August 1991) by Frederick C. Mullis of the Columbia (SC) Metropolitan Airport regarding “Response to Radiation Emergencies” (February 1991). He mentions that the CDV-715 radiation detection meter measures radiation up to 500 ntRhour. This meter is a high-range radiation detector, measuring up to 500 R/hour.
“Response to Radiation Emergencies” is a well-written article that would benefit all firefighters.
George F. Brozowski
Spring Valley, New York
Jambalaya revisited
1 have just finished reading “Jambalaya (Editor’s Opinion, January 1992) with great interest. Of particular interest was the fourth paragraph, which says that many departments in the United States are not performing ventilation to support their fire attack. This problem is not unique to your country. In Canada we face the same problem, particularly with rural departments that do not respond to a lot of calls.
In our area of the province (Ontario), our mutual-aid organization has put together a training package for all firefighters in our system, whether they are fresh recruits or have many years of experience. In this package, which is delivered by certified instructors, ventilation is given a high priority. The knowledge that is gained from these courses then is reinforced by in-house training and proper use on the fireground. Good understanding and fireground discipline are direct results of training.
I am enclosing a photo of our department conducting ventilation on a recent structure fire. You will notice from the picture that both firefighters are wearing full turnout gear, including SCBA; the ladder is extended at least three rungs above the roof line; and the firefighter never leaves the safety of the roof ladder.
Photo by Judy Backus.
Our department is small (21 members), trains twice a month, and responds to about 65 calls a year. If w’e can find the time to instill in our firefighters the importance of ventilation, proper ladder raises, the wearing of proper personal protective clothing. and personal safety while conducting an evolution—as is evident in this photo—anybody should be able to do it. There simply are no excuses!
Michael D. Vilneff
Fire Chief
Marmora District hire Department
Ontario, Canada
Absolute safety the rule
In reference to “The Search Rope” by George Howard (Training Notebook, January 1992), I would like to interject some constructive criticism on one of the mentioned procedures. The author advises, “Secure the rope to the apparatus or other stationary object.” Yes, by all means secure your search rope to a “stationary object.” Webster’s Dictionary defines stationary as “not moving, unchanging.” Regardless of how remote the chance that the apparatus will move, there is still a chance (that it can) —something not allowable when dealing with firefighter safety. Look hard; there are many fixed objects on the fireground, but a fire apparatus is not one of them.
Michael A. Terpak
Rescue Co. 1 Jersey City (NJ) Fire Department
Seeks expertise
Help! Our department needs information immediately in two specific areas. First, we would like to contact anyone who has personal experience with Class A foams, especially in conjunction with a compressed air foam system (CAFS), used in structural firefighting—actual use or training only, no commercials please.
Also, we are looking for resources who can share their experiences of working with active structural firefighters who are profoundly deaf.
Please contact me at 67 Main St., Salina, PA 15680, (412) 697-4873 (station), 697-4109 (home).
Allen Clark
Vice President
Beil Township Fire Department
Salitla. Pennsyli>ania
Recommends LDH article
“A Practical Approach to Large-Diameter Hose” by William C. Peters (January 1992) is one of the most comprehensive and coherent pieces on the subject 1 have ever seen. In my view, anyone currently using or considering using LDH should read it.
We would like to offer it to the industrial and municipal fire service in Canada as a “service” and, of course, our sales and technical support personnel could benefit as well.
Jerry Valiquette
Market it ig Manager
Lei tt -Safety L im ited
Ontario, Canada
Envelope shields firefighters
Regarding the point of view expressed by Philip A. Morris in “The Personal Protective Envelope and Structural Firefighting: Increased Safety or Overprotection?” (Points of View, Fire Engineering, September 1991), it is unfortunate that he has taken such a dim view of the protective clothing standards that have been developed over the years. The development of these standards is directly related to the hundreds of injuries and fatalities that the fire service has experienced through the years.
No longer can we subject fire and rescue personnel to increased risk by downgrading the protective envelope. All of us recognize that today’s structural fires burn hotter and faster due to the building materials used and that hot and fast fire gives few firefighters the opportunity “to take cover” when their exposed ears begin to heat up.
Training is the key to ensuring that fire and rescue personnel are able to perform without injury at fire and rescue incidents. In most cases, this training really is good fundamental knowledge of fire behavior. A failure of firefighters to understand fire behavior leads many into situations where there is limited recovery. Therefore, the only thing between them and injury is a complete protective envelope.
Also, in “A Practical Approach to Large-Diameter Hose,” (Fire Engineering, January 1992), William C. Peters downplays the importance of a four-inch hose. Every fire department that considers large-diameter hose must evaluate its specific uses and available water supplies. Four-inch hose, with appropriate tactical operations based on available water supplies, is as effective as any other combination. Even rural operations, where line relays are used, can deliver adequate water supplies for the fires faced. This journal as well as other journals have printed articles showing the success of both fourand five-inch large-diameter hose in real-life situations.
For almost 20 years I have worked with both fourand five-inch largediameter hose. 1 have yet to see where the difference in hose size has played a significant role in the outcome of a fire. I have personal knowledge of four-inch relays more than a mile in length that have provided all the water required for a multiple-story working fire. If we chose to accept the hypothesis that we should move to the largest diameter made, i.e., six inches, I am sure that Peters would place my views as his in the choice of five-inch over six-inch hose.
The article further provides an implication that large-diameter hose can be used to supply heavy-stream appliances directly. One must be careful in making this assumption. For the most part, large-diameter hose is a supply line and is not designed as an attack line. 1’he critical issue is working pressure. One must review operating pressures required for the attack appliance, if it is intended to pump the line, and the limitations placed on the hose by its manufacturer.
Otherwise, 1 found Peters’ article to be appropriate, and it speaks well for the need for and benefits of largediameter hose.
Roger A. McGary
Assistant Chief Department of Fire!Rescue Services Bethesda, Maty land
