Lighting the Fireground
Volunteers Corner
Each year, the number of firefighters injured in the line of duty increases. Safety of personnel at the fire scene, during both extinguishment and overhaul, is a growing concern. One common sense, and often overlooked, solution to this problem is using adequate lighting for the area in question so that operations can be performed more safely.
The problem of providing adequate lighting is often affected by geography and population, but seldom can one find a fire department that is able to adequately illuminate the entire fireground. Larger cities often have a special unit that lights the front of the building; however, firefighters operating at the rear or sides work in the dark. Smaller departments may have lights mounted on a vehicle or a few movable lights, but usually not enough to cover the entire scene. How many night fire photos show adequate lighting?
Adequate lighting can help improve safety conditions at major as well as minor incidents. Sufficient illumination helps to identify hazards that will cause falls, tripping, contact with live electrical wires, etc. Good lighting is essential during adverse weather conditions or on moonless nights. A well-lit incident scene will permit the firefighter, pump operator, company officer, sector commander, the overall incident commander, and the command post staff to perform more effectively and efficiently.
After the fire is under control, lighting adds to safety during a thorough overhaul operation. An adequately lit scene will make fire cause determination easier and improve conditions if an arson investigation is necessary. Good lighting is needed at rescue calls as well as in situations that may require rigging or complicated extrication operations.
Electrical production units
In order to enhance fire scene safety through better lighting, fire departments must provide both electrical production and lighting facilities. You can implement adequate power sources through a number of different procedures.
One of the most common methods is to install a portable generator or alternator on the apparatus. Usually, the generator is left on the vehicle and the cords are extended to the area in need of light, but may be removed and moved closer to the scene or inside a structure if necessary. Some apparatus have lamps that are plugged into these portable units. Newer apparatus can be specified to be equipped with an engine-mounted alternator to supply auxiliary power for lights and electrical tools.
It is becoming common to install permanently mounted large-capacity generators on ladder and rescue trucks. These units of 8, 10, and 12 kilowatts (or more) may be gasoline, diesel, or hydraulically powered. A large light bank may also be mounted on this vehicle.
For many years, many city departments have maintained separate lighting apparatus and located them at strategic locations in the protection district. Smaller departments have sometimes constructed trailers to provide emergency scene electrical power.
In many cases, it is practical for mutual aid groups or county associations to join together and develop lighting apparatus. These special response vehicles can be invaluable in many emergency situations, including natural disasters. It is not uncommon now to see combination units that serve dual purposes, such as an air compressor or cascade system with lighting capability, a brush unit with lights and generator, or rescue units similarly equipped.
Lighting improvements
In order to enhance the effectiveness of these electrical production units, we must consider the light delivery problem. The lights for the fire scene can be provided in a number of ways. Portable 500-wait lights are often used. Some departments have built light stands that have bases large enough to mount cord reels. The reel can be plugged into the source and the cord unwound as the firefighter proceeds to the scene. The light may be plugged in immediately to illuminate the path ahead.
Other departments have found advantages in collapsible light stands that can raise the lights above ground level. Elevating stands are often mounted on apparatus and are manually, electrically, or hydraulically raised. These lights offer the extra advantage of being able to project over ground-level obstructions. Many elevating platform apparatus have additional lights mounted on the bucket that illuminate the scene. Often, rescue or special light units have light banks or towers that may be raised to the most effective height.
Summary
Our primary goal is to provide as much light as possible to improve conditions on the fireground. A secondary function of the electrical power supplied by these production units is to run tools and appliances that are required for efficient operations. Lighting units can also serve as emergency power generators during other crises, especially for locations that do not have electrical protection capability during outage emergencies, such as schools, hospitals, and nursing homes.
The responsibility for adequate lighting should be assigned to an arriving company. Give the task to; squad units, truck companies, or personnel with special units. Develop a written standard operating procedure (SOP) that assigns definite responsibility for the task. This will ensure that ample lighting is provided when and where required. At a large fire scene the responsibility may be delegated to the safety officer or another specified individual by the incident commander.
The improved safety conditions that will result from a well-illuminated fire scene are too important to leave to chance. Don’t assume another firefighter will provide lights. Be sure that a responsible individual in your company or department is delegated to get the job done right.
