Paul Grimwood highlights the risk factors that impact on survivability during interior firefighting operations. When firefighters are deployed to the interior of a fire involved building for fire attack, search and rescue operations or as support to crews working ahead or above them, there are several risk critical factors that may impact upon their ability to survive such a hostile environment

New vehicle technology (NVT) can seem intimidating, since not all rescuers can afford the latest tools with extra cutting performance. Aaron Heller, Fire Captain of the Hamilton Township Fire District #9 and co-owner of On Scene Training Associates, emphasizes that NVT is in no way insurmountable with a basic set of rescue equipment, and the right extrication procedures and strategies.

A major UK multiagency exercise is to take place in the south coast home of multiple top tier COMAH sites on 4-5 May.

Following a period of pre-market engagement, the sale process for the Fire Service College and would welcome expressions of interest from potential bidders.

The 2008 Galston Mine Incident report provides an independent assessment of the circumstances surrounding the death of Alison Hume who fell down a disused mine shaft in Galston on 26 July 2008.

Aviation rescue and fire fighting (ARFF) is characterised by a different timescale and set of priorities to normal civilian fire fighting. Time is of the essence. It is essential to minimise the delay between controlling the fire and carrying out any rescue of passengers and crew. The overall operational window is short by other fire fighting standards, writes Roger Klein.

During a festive ceremony the Israeli Fire Brigade officially incorporated 26 new Ziegler water/foam tenders Type TLF 20/30-3 into its fleet.

Modern buildings are designed to keep people out – making the job harder for the fire service to get in. Luckily, manufacturers are coming to the rescue by launching dedicated tool sets that open doors and break locks with accuracy.   

Ann-Marie Knegt visits the Royal Dutch Air force Training Academy to see a newhigh-tech ARFF vehicle that could influence future ICAO and NATO standards.

FEMA/Commonwealth share costs of steps taken during rebuilding that will lessen impact of future disasters

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano has posted FY 2012 grant guidance and application kits for seven DHS preparedness grant programs totalLing over $1.3 billion.

A joint training project threw together US Army, Navy, and Air Force medics with firefighters and first responders from all over the country.

Through effective vehicle conversions, fire services can allocate resource dependent on the task and rationalise their operations.  Andy Harris, specialist vehicle sales manager at UK company Bott, explains how.

Remote controlled vehicles have now attended over 50 UK hazardous materials incidents in the last five years, writes QnetiQ Senior Project Engineer and Technical Lead for Project GHOST, Kenneth A Pink.

Fire brigadier Herbert Fettweis of Duesseldorf, Germany has developed the new ICONOS nozzle hose for safe and cost effective firefighting of waste dump fires, and wildfires. Herbert designed the hose because in his experience valuable manpower was often wasted during these types of incidents, where people were just simply standing somewhere while pouring water down on the same spot. 

Fraser Engineering, based in New Zealand, has recently delivered a new rescue pumper to the South Australia County Fire Service. The vehicle is now operational in Morphett Vale, located in the suburbs of Adelaide, and is based on a CFS Iveco Eurocargo Pumper.

‘We’ve recently heard of people putting heaters and hairdryers in their beds to stay warm and this is a disaster waiting to happen” – Dave Brown, Assistant Commissioner for Operations and Mobilising, London Fire Brigade.

NIST releases report into ‘what is often considered the weakest component of a firefighter’s ensemble in high heat conditions.’

‘Capabilities and limitations of compressed air foam systems (CAFS) for structural firefighting’ includes a summary of a workshop held in December at the Montgomery County Public Service Training Academy, Rockville (MD).

Statement by Chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso marks five-year anniversary of the tragedy that claimed the lives of two responders and two propane technicians (safety video also available).

A key commitment is to provide ‘clear guidance on the environmental impacts of fire-fighting foam to purchasers and users'

For centuries wool had been the fibre of choice for clothing worn by soldiers, police, firemen and search and rescue teams because of wools natural protective properties and its versatility over a wide range of extreme environments but over recent years these benefits have been forgotten, that is until now.

Italian-based company, CTE has delivered a new aerial ladder vehicle that also carries an Effer crane to Hong Kong Fire Brigade.

The International Fire Relief Mission recently named five fire-industry professionals from various disciplines to serve three-year terms on its advisory board. The board members will help IFRM achieve its goal of improving firefighter safety by providing donated fire and EMS equipment to firefighters in developing countries. The new advisory board members are Robb Chapman, William “Jim” Dunn, Jennifer Jesty, Wayne Martin, and Christina Spoons.

Mike Willson of Willson Consulting (Australia) attended the 1st National Foam Forum & Workshop in Adelaide. He outlines his reactions to some of the many issues raised during the conference.

The AviAssist Foundation, the charity that aims to educate and train African firefighters in ARFF, has completed its first annual airport rescue and fire fighting training in Africa. Firefifghters from two African countries participated in this practical training at our partner host airport, Kilimanjaro International Airport in Tanzania.

Former Chief fire officer Jacques Baudewijn was one of the first in Belgium to pioneer the use of high volume pumps.

There is much information on clothing for firefighters but sadly much of it is neither accurate nor even useful, says Ian Moses: the bottom line is that it’s all about protection.

Compartment fires present a range of risks to the firefighter. The dangers of the combustion gases, radiant heat and explosions are but some of the deadly hazards faced by responders. Nowhere is this more apparent than onboard a ship, and in particular on a Corvette, as built for the Swedish Navy for surface to surface warfare, mine countermeasures (MCM) and anti-submarine warfare (ASW). Ann-Marie Knegt reports on a versatile extinguishing system that is enhancing safety and fire response for Sweden’s Navy.

The city of Ekurhuleni in the East Rand region of Gauteng, South Africa, is preparing to reposition itself as an aerotropolis city – Chief Fire Officer Joe Makhubalo explains what this means for his fire service.

The second Australian Aerial Firefighting conference was held in Melbourne Victoria on 25 August 2011 with a focus on best practice approaches to aerial firefighting, writes David Cant, Manager Aviation Services, South Australian Country Fire Service.

A large fire at a chemical plant south of Dallas sent an enormous plume of smoke into the air and forced the evacuation of hundreds of residents in the city of Waxahachie.

Proposals set out to cut the number of MCA staff and further plans suggest any key incident involving any North Sea oil platforms would be managed by senior MCA officers in the Maritime Operations Centre (MOC) that will be based nearly 400 miles away the Southampton/Portsmouth area.

Italian manufacturer of aerial truck mounted platforms, CTE Lift SpA is delivering its new B-FIRE 450 system mounted on a Tital firefighting vehicle. The telescopic boom is 45 metres high and can carry 450kg of payload in its basket, meaning it can carry four people carrying full PPE and additional equipment.

In this series concentrating on rescue techniques involving large goods vehicles/public service vehicles, Gareth Lloyd from UKRO (United Kingdom Rescue Organisation) looks at cab stabilisation and driver's seats.

A unique new course to equip passenger transport and emergency professionals with the skills to deal with major incidents is being launched by the University of Wolverhampton in the UK.

Fire and Rescue visited the UK Rescue Challenge last week at Excel in London – 23-24 September. Have a look at the exclusive picture overview.

Queensland University of Technology (QUT) researchers capture the world's first real-time data of a major flood event in an urban area.

Rosenbauer launches a new air transportable response vehicle with off road capability for crisis response operations.

The report, entitled ‘Emergency First Responder Respirator Thermal Characteristics’, identifies performance needs and establishes research priorities to address the thermal characteristics of respiratory protective equipment used by emergency first responders. 

With a background in local government management, Rita Dexter is now the most senior women in the world’s largest fire and rescue service. Michael Burton talks to her about a career that began in Birmingham at the age of 16.

The use of ethanol is increasing rapidly worldwide and consequently the importance of appropriate ethanol production, handling, and storage operations is increasing as well. The ETANKFIRE project will provide a platform of knowledge ensuring proper investment in the fire protection of ethanol storage facilities. A full report on the recent ETANKFiRE Conference will be available in the next issue of Fire and Rescue magazine.

Pierce Manufacturing, an Oshkosh Corporation company, has announced that it has received an order for three Quantum pumper vehicles and one Quantum aerial platform from the Mesa Fire Department in Mesa, Ariz. The Mesa Fire Department’s front line apparatus fleet will grow to include 33 Quantum pumpers and five Quantum aerials. The vehicles will be delivered beginning in January 2012.

The weekend of May 22nd, 2011 proved to be an unusually busy and challenging for the rescue response resources in the State of Missouri, writes Tim Dorsey, Deputy Chief of Special Operations and Training West County EMS and Fire Protection District. 

@fire International, a disaster response agency based in Osnabruck in Germany, has signed an agreement to help protect the town of Villa Real in Northern Portugal against the constant threat of wildfires in the area.

A leading manufacturer of fire and safety training tools has delivered next-generation redesigned smoke generators to competition winners.

Many areas in the world are currently being devastated by record breaking wildland fires this season. To enable firefighters to respond to these fire, the University of Nevada, Reno Fire Science Academy (FSA) hosted the BLM Rookie School and Wildland Fire Academy from June 5t-10, 2011.

Firefighters from Northumberland have demonstrated the benefits of a new training facility at Newcastle Airport.

The PATH train station located below One World Trade Center and the 9/11 Memorial were the focus of a simulated crisis last week at TEEX’s Emergency Operations Training Center (EOTC). 

TEEX Public Safety & Security (PS&S) has signed a $10.8 million contract with Power Training of the United Arab Emirates to provide a Security Training Program (STP) to members of the Critical National Infrastructure Authority (CNIA) in Abu Dhabi.

Haagen recently completed construction of a full-scale industrial emergency training facility in Dordrecht, The Netherlands. The result is a multi-scenario training complex that incorporates industrial, petrochemical, and commercial fire simulations to provide intensely realistic hands-on training for both industrial and municipal fire brigades.

The UK's Fire Industry Association (FIA) has announced its training programme for 2011, providing a wide range of courses to offer those working within the many areas of fire safety with the knowledge and the practical skills to ensure they are up to date with all the latest industry developments.

What elements are essential to successfully position an aerial ladder vehicle? That is the main question that two professional firefighters from Germany – Jan Ole Unger (Feuerwehr Hamburg) and Nils Beneke (Feuerwehr Hannover) – were looking to answer in their search for a simple and secure way of operating turntable ladder and hydraulic aerial platform vehicles. And it looks like they’ve found a solution, reports Ann-Marie Knegt.

With an increase in the number of vehicles on the roads and the increasing focus for vehicle rescues by the fire and rescue services, the United Kingdom Rescue Organisation revisits an old technique that could provide the answer to problems facing crews dealing with modern-day vehicles.

Held from September 7-9, 2010, Exercise Orion was the largest civil resilience exercise ever to be held in Europe, with participating teams from the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the UAE. All teams took part in this multi-agency disaster exercise to test the capabilities and resilience of the European Civil Response Mechanism. Ann-Marie Knegt reports from the scene.

A large delegation of senior fire and rescue officials from the UK was invited to Charlotte (North Carolina) for a week-long master class in water rescue, writes David Lane, a fire, water and marine safety consultant, and former senior UK fire officer. This masterclass is one of a series facilitated over some years with the UK’s Chief Fire Officers Association, working with fire and emergency management professionals from the US, with the aim of developing flood response and major incident management principles.

Compartment firefighting is one of the most challenging and dangerous aspects of modern firefighting. Training for such environments often involves exposure to conditions and risks that have to be carefully controlled whilst preparing firefighters for the conditions they will experience at incidents. Gary Fleming, an expert in compartment firefighting, weighs the pros and cons of the two primary methods of training.

Another all-action Master Class is being held in Charlotte, NC (USA), October 2-9 this year, where we always receive the warmest of welcomes from Charlotte FD Chief Jon Hannan and Charlotte CityManager Kurt Walton, writes David Lane of fire, water rescue and marine safety consultants Lane, Jefferies & Associates.

Shortly after completing a film documentary of the EU Floodex 2009 (see Fire and Rescue page 38 issue 76, 2009) for the UK’s lead fire service within the project: Hereford and Worcester FRS; Jon Hall (DCFO Gloucester FRS, UK) approached David Lane (MIFireE) in his role as Chairman of the UK’s National Resilience Board. The task being to document the work of the National Resilience Assurance Team (NRAT) of the United Kingdom to illustrate NRAT work for the wider first responder stakeholder audience through a film, using the unique Floodex film footage, the back story being the EU Floodex proof of concept Major Flood Module response. David Lane reports.

Using ADMS HRET (High Reach Extendable Turret) simulator, ETC staff have trained 10 ARFF (Airport Rescue Fire Fighting) drivers on the vehicle operation of an ARFF truck including HRET at Miami International Airport's (MIA) fire department.

Support services company VT Group (VT) successfully supported Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) firefighters and vehicles taking part in the first UK national exercise organised by the National Resilience team. The exercise covered three simultaneous simulated incidents; a major train derailment in Warwickshire and two smaller incidents in London and Merseyside.

In this issue’s comment, UKRO (UK Rescue Organisation) looks at a suggested alternative technique that could be utilised when dealing with RTC’s, and aims to provide guidance to considerations that should be made in relation to hazards and risk management.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service in the south of England organised Specialist Response Week in September 2009, which responders from the UK and Europe attended to take advantage of a multitude of practical workshops in different disciplines.

Packexe SMASH, a new innovation in time critical glass management, secures glass for controlled vehicle extrication. The self-adhesive film holds glass fragments in place, protecting both the casualty and rescue teams from further injury.

Fire Science Academy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (FSA-KSA) signs Memorandum of Understanding with Kidde Fire Trainers for the support in developing a Fire Training Facility in Jubail.

Rotterdam-based Falck Risc has been offering virtual training courses using XVR, the software developed by Dutch company E-Semble. The collaboration between Falck and E-Semble has proved internationally successful and meets the needs of industrial fire services.

Emergencies dealing with tank fires are a stressful time for everyone involved, including the owner of the facility and surrounding communities. Although this is an infrequent occurrence for most fire chiefs, just one event is enough to leave a lasting impression, writes Gordon Lohmeyer, Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) Private Sector Program Director.

George Quick, Assistant Director for Programs and Operations of the University of Nevada, Reno Fire Science Academy, emphasises the importance of storage tank fire training for non-industrial departments who deal with high risks in their immediate vicinity.  

Industrial fire brigades need to be trained in the use of Class B foam for hydrocarbon-type fires as well as alcohol-resistant variants, writes Dr Roger Klein.

Simulator training for the use of high reach extendable turrets is soon to be available for Rosenbauer vehicles.

F&R reports from Bristol International Airport’s fire ground where a team of airport fire officers prepared a range of fire scenarios for the Kuwait Fire Service Department (KFSD) team on the Boeing 767-size fire rig.

Advanced simulation software will be used by the City of New York to train for large-scale incidents.

A growing number of fire and rescue services are now unlocking the benefits of in-vehicle CCTV as an integral part of safety-critical blue light training, writes Jeremy Coleman, Sales Manager, Traffic Safety Systems (TSS).

Training with foam is a crucial part of a modern firefighter’s array of tools and one that should not be neglected, explains Luc Jacobs of Solberg Foam.

The chemical makeup and intended operational usage of firefighting foam dictate the types of training foams used by fire brigades, explains Roger Klein.

Groningen Airport Eelde’s fire service in the north of the Netherlands has implemented a new way of responding to incidents which gains precious seconds for responders – Basic Tactical Reponse (BTR).

Texas Engineering Extension Service’s Chris Framsted met up with IFJ in Houston to talk about the latest developments at the famous training academy.

Experience from major emergencies around the world, including the recent bushfires in Australia, reconfirms the need for applying distributed C4I (Command, Control, Communications Computing and Information) technologies for managing large scale fire and multi-agency events. Stephen Prendergast of VectorCommand looks at the development of the Command Support System (CSS), an advanced interoperable, distributed C4I system being developed by his company for the London Fire Brigade and a growing number of UK, Australian, international fire services and emergency agencies.

Who can you truly rely on in a crisis? Michael D Brown, former Under Secretary of Homeland Security of the US Department of Homeland Security, and Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) highlights an oft-forgotten component of multidisciplinary training exercises.

At the cutting-edge of industrial fire training a systematic approach and some world-class facilities are required. With 35,000 students per year going through Falck Risc’s gates in Rotterdam, it must be doing something.

Last year the Rotterdam-based company VSTEP successfully launched a new training tool called RescueSim IIM (Industrial Incident Management). This is a virtual scenario based training tool, which enables industrial response teams to exercise in a virtual environment, saving cost and reducing hazards.

Former Dutch fire officer and emergency management instructor Marco van Wijngaarden is president of ETC Simulation, a branch of ETC that developed the well-known  ADMS (Advanced Disaster Management Simulator).

HOTA offers two state of-the-art emergency response suites where incident managers can exercise disaster scenarios in the most realistic manner possible, explains General Manager of HOTA, Linda Ellis. “We can replicate any type of disaster an offshore installation might face, ranging from minor gas release, explosion and fire to full evacuation of the platform.

Who said firefighting training is tough? Shropshire firefighters are doing their BA and guideline exercises at a Qasar centre.

BA equipment is not cheap but it could save your life, so getting the right kit is vital. Regina Jenatschke, Product Manager Safety Products, MSA, gives her view on factors to consider when choosing your SCBA.

Two experts, one from the UK and one from the US, answer this tricky question. Gary West (WMA BAHons) is with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (UK), and Chief Jim Powell is based at The University of Nevada, Reno Fire Science Academy (USA).

Heather Wright, co-founding director of Leading Light, believes that to be a fit and able firefighter requires looking after the mental as well as the physical aspects of the body. Ensuring you have the right mindset is another key way to ensuring you are operating at the best of your abilities.

Captain Larry Collins has been working for the LA County Fire Department for 28 years, the last 16 years assigned to the department’s central Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) unit. In this time he has come to understand that his staff have to be fit enough to cope with the use of heavy machinery and dealing with potentially traumatic roadside incidents. As such the importance of finding time for exercise is something that the company takes very seriously, “On the urban search and rescue company, our schedule is packed full of training, emergency responses to technical rescues and multi-alarm fires, meetings, public displays of rescue apparatus, and emergency simulation exercises.  So our normal routine for exercising is often interrupted. 

Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service has been winning awards for its approach to fitness for a number of years, and today it is one of the leading brigades with regards to health and fitness in the UK.

After responding to a number of flood events up and down the UK in the last two years – including 2007’s near-disastrous summer floods – Paul Gibson is adamant about one thing.

The most commonly seen risk-taking activity is untrained responders moving around in what they perceive to be low-risk water. This is often because they are simply not aware of the hazards lurking beneath the surface and in the water itself.

Structure firefighting is among the most hazardous tasks, fraught with dangers both visible and hidden. In the fire service we constantly strive to improve the safety margin through better equipment, hazard recognition, training, standard operating procedures, and the Incident Command System (ICS). And progressive fire service leaders look to implement “best practices” wherever they are found.

Washington Hall UK – profile.

In this next instalment of our search for the top fire instructors of the world we talk with Tony “Sledgehammer” Keane, of Washington Hall International Training Centre, in the UK.

JOIFF – the organisation for emergency services management – is offering up to £1,500 to the successful applicant of a new bursary award. And what’s more, the bursary is open to all.

Environmentally-friendly foams are not a new concept in many countries but they are in the UK. The purpose of the Vigo trip, explains ABC MacIntosh’s Gary McDowall, was to demonstrate how environmental foams could be beneficial to the emergency services, and that going down the environmental route would not necessarily cost more.

Since the days when man first moved his goods and chattels about he has needed to secure his load to prevent things falling off. As a young firefighter at training school I remember well being explained the virtues of the ‘Yachtsman’s purchase’ – a marvellous knot that allowed tension to be applied to the running end.

LNG is a cryogenic liquid stored at -162°C in special single- or double-lined insulated concrete tanks. Its composition varies between 83 and 99.5% methane with traces of ethane, propane and butane. As it vaporises the cold gas condenses moisture in the atmosphere into a white vapour cloud. It is in the vicinity of the edges of this cloud that ignition is most likely to occur, where the LNG reaches its flammability range of 5 to 14% in air. Although asphyxiating, the vapours are not explosive unless confined.

At least 65% of all fatalities during trench rescue operations are would-be rescuers. Secondary collapses cause many rescuers to be severely injured; though casualties are rescued alive from trenches, many die afterwards of hypothermia and crush syndrome.

Confined space rescue operations are not for the faint hearted. Even the most seasoned and toughened firefighters will sometimes be affected by claustrophobia. This is not, however, the most prominent danger here, say America’s top rescue professionals, James Hyles and Larry Collins.

Although the technical knowledge behind PPV techniques wasn’t widely available five years ago, it has certainly spread since then. Today, most fire departments are well-acquainted with the use and potential of PPV for small structural firefighting scenarios, such as those involving house fires and other small buildings.

Working in confined spaces can be one of the most dangerous tasks undertaken by industry firefighters. Confined space hazards can include problems with the atmosphere due to poor ventilation, access problems and poor light.

Pete Gomez, Deputy Emergency Manager for Miami Department of Fire-Rescue and HazMat Co-ordinator for Florida-TF2 explains how this USAR team prepares for hurricane strikes.

Highrise firefighting is one of the most arduous challenges facing today’s firefighters and yet - until now - it’s been nearly impossible to get effective high level training scenarios to practice in.

Most industrial operations can take any one of several approaches to overcoming air supply problems.  Some contract commercial operations to refill air cylinders owned by the company. Others may buy large storage cylinders then use stored air to do their own recharging.

It was fortunate that no-one died when a similar accident happened to an American Trans Air DC-10 on the ground in Chicago in 1986, but the fact is that this hazmat lesson clearly wasn’t learned.

After an exhaustive market survey and technical evaluation, the Italian National Fire Administration has finally taken delivery of the first of four shipboard fire simulators supplied by Kidde Fire Trainers.  The simulators replicate the major challenges experienced in fighting shipboard fires in a safe and environmentally-sound manner. 

Teex opens new 2,300-foot pipeline for emergency response training.

Question from an
industrial firefighter
Question: I heard that toxic gases and vapours from hazardous materials can get inside a self-contained breathing apparatus facepiece, even if you have a good seal between the mask and your face - is this true?

IFOPSE (Prevention and Safety Training Institute) has developed innovative tools and programmes dedicated to improved fire training. “Since 1983, we have been providing intervention teams from all sectors of activity with fire training in our own training centres. We also design training facilities for other organisations,” Roland Coulombel of IFOPSE Export tells IFJ.

F&R’s technical consultant in this problem solving feature is Kevin Mellott, a professional with over 32 years of experience in the field of public safety. Prior to founding ERASE Enterprises, Mr. Mellott was an Assistant Chief in the Department of Public Safety for the City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Mr. Mellott also served as the City Fire Marshal. Internationallyrecognised as an expert in emergency response and disaster operations, he has been involved in special rescue operations since 1978 and has been selected as the lead instructor for numerous special rescue projects for the US military.

IFJ reviews some of the best industrial training establishments offering a wide variety of courses, programmes and simulator scenarios.

Gene Allen is a Senior Loss Prevention Engineer for major Insurance and Risk Assessment company Allianz. He has a close affiliation with the industrial firefighting industry through his work and his spare-time occupation as a volunteer firefighter.

Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service has been using the VectorCommand system for many years in order to train for various incidents such as a large refinery fire.

F&R’s Ann-Marie Knegt talks to Doug Campbell, a fire behaviour analyst with over 35 years’ experience as a wildland firefighter. He developed the Campbell Prediction System (CPS) which, over the last 10 years, has been credited with saving many lives.

Last month F&R's Ann-Marie Knegt was invited to the Vlissingen Training Centre (TRC), one of the biggest marine training locations in Europe.

Rope rescue presents special challenges, especially in remote areas or at some unique industrial sites, reports Kenneth N. Laidlaw, one of the USA’s top experts in the field.

It’s fascinating to talk about computers and fire safety engineering - but how do they actually interact? Fire origin, fire development, fire spread and fire decay in enclosed fires depend on several factors such as the room geometry, type and quantity of materials, number and size of openings, type of firefighting operations etc.