By Becky Robinette Wright

Tones sounded dispatching Engines 2 and 24 along with Truck 9, A321, Battalion 3 and county police on Dec.12 around 2:45 p.m. for a MVA in the 7400 block of Belmont Road.

Reports stated subject trapped.

Crews arriving on scene discovered a pickup truck in the ditch and the occupant injured and unable to exit the vehicle.

The victim was assessed for injuries, the vehicle stabilized, the patient back-boarded and then packaged then transported to a local hospital.

The accident is under investigation.

By Becky Robinette Wright

Tones sounded  shortly after 8 a.m. on Jan. 22 for a possible structure fire in the 1700 block of Debbie Lane.

Calls into emergency communications stated smoke coming from the house.

Dispatched were Engines 1, 6, Truck 1 and Truck 6, Fire Medic 1, EMS 2 and DC 3.

Engine 1 arrived on scene and reported heavy smoke showing from a single story single family dwelling.

A second alarm was declared, the operation was declared in rescue mode and three additional ambulances were requested by command.

An aggressive interior attack was initiated. Firefighters encountered challenges with limited space within the dwelling for manuevering.

Three deceased victims were discovered inside the structure, all three adults.

The cause is under investigation. Henrico Division of  Fire and Henrico Police are conducting a joint investigation.

By Becky Robinette Wright
Nearly 3,000 feet of huge supply line hose snaked along of the side of the busy corridor of Midlothian Turnpike and apparatus dotted the landscape and roadside. It was the 9600 block of Midlothian Turnpike around 3 p.m. on Jan. 18, and two buildings located back off the road and into the thick brush and woods were on fire. A car dealership was in danger from the fire and firefighters fought hard and fast to extinguish the blaze and protect the nearby businesses.
Two citizens had spotted the fire and attempted to douse it with an extinguisher but were overcome from the thick, choking, blinding smoke. They were transported to the hospital with smoke inhalation.
Battalion Chief Steve Parrott established command.
One crew hiked through the thick brush, around and over downed and rotting tree debris to extinguish a fire in the building almost hidden in the woods.
Another team of firefighters quickly doused the flames in the first building.
Responding to the fires were Engines 9, 4, 20, 10, 2, Truck 7, Truck 9, Medic 2, Medic 11, TSO and Battalion #3.
County police monitored the heavy traffic flow, handled crowd control and assisted the media who arrived on scene.
The cause is under investigation.

By Becky Robinette Wright
Tones sounded around 8:30 am. on Oct. 3 and dispatched were county police, Engine 3 and Medic 3.Two patients were transported to the hospital.
First on scene discovered a vehicle into a pole and a victim in the roadway.The damaged wires were still live.
Crews provided aid and police closed the road .
An additional ambulance was requested and Medic 17 was dispatched.
Dominion Virginia Power was dispatched.
Utility workers discovered the transformer on the pole was damaged and the power cut not be shut down at the pole. Power was cut from opposing ends of the damaged lines, it took approximately two hours for the power to be cut from the live wires.
As soon as the power was cut and indepth operation to move the vehicle and secure the pole began.
Va power used a special machine with a claw type device at the end to grip the broken pole and hold it in place. Crews in two separate utility aerial buckets secured the wires to prevent them from snapping and began to unhook the damaged transformer and disconnect wires.At last a wrecker was given the go ahead to remove the vehicle.
Firefighters then cleared the scene after being on scene for four hours.
Utility crews then worked to replace the pole. Residents were without power around 10 hrs.
The accident is under investigation.Police have not said if charges will be filed.

By Becky Robinette Wright

Engine 2 and Manchester Volunteer Rescue Squad Unit 325 along with county police were toned out on Sept. 6 around 3:34 p.m. for a MVA at 4200 Newbysbridge Road.

Prince George Animal Control who happened to be passing through the area assisted at the scene.

Crews discovered a vehicle into some trees.

Quickly the patient was assessed,packaged and transported to a local hospital.

Police have not said if charges will be filed.

By Becky Robinette Wright

The sky was dark but the fire’s glow was bright as a brush fire burned in some woods near a fuel pipeline off Five Forks Lane on Sept.6 around 8:42 p.m.

Dispatched were Engine 11 and Brush 11.

First on scene reported fire in the woods.

Exposures included homes, vehicles, thick woods and a fuel pipeline.

Five Forks Lane was quickly closed off and hand lines stretched. An aggressive attack was launched and the fire was soon marked under control.Firefighters re-entered the woods to check for embers.

The cause is under investigation. All exposures were protected.

By Becky Robinette Wright
Engine 14, Truck 14, Bensley-Bermuda Volunteer Rescue Squad Unit 521, TSO and Battalion two were dispatched for a vehicle overturned in the 13000 block of Old Stage Road on Sept.3 around 10:39 p.m.
Firefighters discovered a vehicle into a utility pole with the pole snapped, wires dangling and a victim trapped, with a total of two victims critically injured.
Dominion Virginia Power was requested for the broken pole and downed lines.
The trapped victim was wedged into the dash area and the rear and driver’s side of the car was smashed into the front half of the car.
Spreaders and cutters were quickly put to use. Medics monitored the red patient as firefighters cut apart the car.
Cribbing stabilized the vehicle while crews worked.
Virginia State Police EMS Med-Flight I was requested for the red patient.
Engine 1 had been dispatched to establish a LZ for Med-Flight.
Medic 1 had also been added to the call.
After the victims were removed and transported the county police crash team worked to document the incident for the investigation.

By Becky Robinette Wright
photos by Sarah Afton Bettington

Tones sounded on Aug. 31 around 1 p.m. for a structure fire in the 16200 block of Hampton Summit Drive.
Responding were: Engines 16,19,24,7,Truck 7,Medic 7,Battalions one and four,TSO,FM and county police.
Scene upon arrival was heavy fire from the rear of the house extending into the attic.
Residents were self evacuating after their smoke alarm sounded and a police officer called in the fire.
The home was a total loss with damage estimates at $550,000. The cause has been ruled accidental.

By Becky Robinette Wright

Firefighters were dispatched on Sept.4 around 10 a.m. to the 4900 block of Stanley Drive for fire under a house.

Responding were E11,E3,E15,T3,M11,TSO and Battalion One.County police also responded.

M11 was first on scene and reported light smoke showing.

Crews quickly brought the situation under control.

The cause is under investigation.

By Becky Robinette Wright

Fire officials are investigating a fire that erupted in a storage shed at Southside Baptist Church located at 6000 Iron Bridge Road on Sept. 1 around 4 p.m.

Responding were Engines 3,14,15,11,a medic unit,Truck 14,TSO and Battalion One.Also on scene were county police.

Firefighters had to use a power saw to cut through the shed doors to gain quick entry to the blaze. Multiple hand lines made quick work of the fire.

The cause is under investigation.

By Becky Robinette Wright

Tones sounded shortly after midnight on Aug. 10 reporting a structure fire in the 300 block of Hillcrest Avenue.
First on scene reported a house with heavy fire and the fire extending to a garage.
Additional crews were requested and as mutual aid dispatched were Chesterfield, Fort Lee, Prince George, Hopewell and Petersburg.
Live wires were a challenge and Dominion Virginia Power was dispatched to cut the power so crews could extinguish the blaze.
Five residents were displaced with one being transported to the hospital with smoke inhalation. The Red Cross assisted the family.
Damage was estimated at $60,000.
The cause is under investigation.

By Becky Robinette Wright

Tones sounded at 11:15 a.m. on Aug 20 for a head on collision at W. Hundred and Womack roads.

Dispatched were Engine 1 and Ambulance 526 along with county police.

One person who was injured was packaged and transported to a local hospital.

Tactical Simulation – Hazardous Materials Incident
Written by Lt. Brad Dougherty

Scroll to bottom for attachments to help you with the simulation.

Engine 3, Ladder 3, Rescue 1, Medic 3, EMS 1 and Battalion 2 have been alerted to 1178 Pilates Way the downtown YMCA for a hazardous materials response. The caller has reported that there is a strong chemical odor and yellowish haze coming from the custodians supply room in Hallway A, The facility is being evacuated time of alarm is 0552hrs temperature is 65 degrees with a light wind out of the south west and partly cloudy skies. Upon arrival of Engine 3 the facility manager advises that all but one of the occupants are out of the structure and accounted for the missing patrons last known location is not known three staff members and five patrons are complaining of burning eyes and chest pain. The facility manager does provide responders with an MSDS binder for the all of the products stored in the custodians supply room. The officer of Engine 3 observes a haze inside of the structure from A side. Using the information create an incident action plan to mitigate this incident.

click on image to enlarge

Attachments:
MSDS for chemicals found in supply room

1. ammonium-hydroxide-msds
2. windex-original-glasscleaner-msds
3. clorox-bleach-msds
4. pine-oil-msds

Tactical worksheet – tactical-worksheet
Pre-Incident survey – pre-incident-survey-ymca
ERG 2008 edition – erg2008_eng

Credits
MSDS sheets found on the clorox company website
MSDS sheet for window cleaner found on SC Johnson website
ERG found on www.ehso.com

By Lucian Mirra

Complacency in Fire and EMS

If you were to ask at my station, or any fire or EMS station around the country for that matter, how many people cut corners, took the easy way out or were generally complacent with their jobs, if 80% of people didn’t raise their hands, you could suspect that many were lying.

Now I’m not trying to call all Firefighters, EMTs and Paramedics lazy by any means. Perhaps the word “lazy” is the improper term. Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines “complacency” as “self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies”. That is to say we are satisfied with the way we do our jobs despite the inherent risks and dangers associated with it. As of August 1st, according to firefighterclosecalls.com, 59 of our brothers and sisters have been killed in the line of duty. The reality of our job as firefighters and EMS workers is that we must daily put our lives in unsafe conditions. While safety and techniques have cut down on firefighter deaths since my grandfather’s generation, the reality of the job is that what we do is simply dangerous.

So what does danger have to do with complacency? The answer is plenty. While we may not mean to be, we cut corners in our job on a daily basis. Why? Because 99% of the time, if we take a shortcut in doing something, it will turn out ok. The reality of our job is that while it is inherently dangerous, it is also inherently monotonous. How many Automatic Fire Alarm Activations does your engine company run in week? How many of those actually turn out to be anything more than an accidental/malicious activation or a mechanical malfunction. While despite the statistics being heavily in favor of an AFA being a false call, most departments still require firefighters to dress out in full turnout and SCBA. Even so, how many times are you actually thinking about what you would do if it turned out to be a real fire when responding to these? While we would all like to think that we take every option into consideration while en route to such a call, the majority of us are also thinking, at least in the back of our minds, that we will either get placed in service prior to arrival or arrive on scene to find a malfunction or accidental activation. Maybe every once in awhile someone has burned something or there has been a minor electrical short causing an appropriate activation of a smoke detector, but what percentage of these calls actually turn out to be a working structure fire? Even our respective departments play this number game. My system responds one engine and either a ladder, tanker or engine, depending on the location of the fire and the location of the second due piece to fire alarms. Often times, the second due company is sent non-emergency. Imagine the surprise of the company officer who arrives on scene with only a single engine to what was supposed to be a simple paperwork response to find fire through the roof. The same situation has happened in my department, and quite recently.

How about on the EMS side? How many “sick person” calls does your medic run per shift? Have you ever been dispatched for “chest pains” on a 24-year-old patient? If you’re like me you automatically raise the B.S. flag on this. While its never happened to me personally, I’ve heard other medics tell stories of the 24 year old who is having a STEMI. Does it happen often? No, not at all. Does it happen at all? Of course it does. Just like in the fire service, the dispatcher can only go on a limited amount of information. How do we know that the laceration call that we’re responding to is actually a domestic violence situation, but because the dispatcher wasn’t told what the laceration was from, no police was dispatched. Imagine how surprised you’d be when you walk up to the residence and see a gun in your face. Now to modify the old adage, you’ve brought and oxygen bottle (a great self defense weapon) and a pair of trauma sheers to a gun fight. I’ll be leaving now, thanks.

No matter if its fire or EMS, we tend to get complacent with our jobs. And why wouldn’t we? If you’ve already worked a structure fire and run 8 other assorted calls and you’re near the end of your 24 hour shift on an engine, how much are you really thinking that the “Fire Alarm Activation” call you’re responding to is going to turn out to be a worker? If you’ve run 10 EMS calls on a 12 shift on the medic, how much are you actually thinking that the “sick person” call will turn out to be a working arrest, or the laceration will be a domestic dispute?

There is no solution to this problem. Complacency is human nature, especially when you’ve been doing “the job” long enough or you’ve been awake for long enough. The best thing we can do is be thinking about every possibility when responding to every call (but pay attention to the road if you’re driving or riding officer!). What is my plan of action if this AFA turns out to be a working fire? What am I going to do if this laceration turns violent? Am I prepared for all possibilities? What is my plan of action, what is my mindset? I realize that we will all still be complacent to some extent when we’re working, whether volunteer or paid or both. But if we keep an open mind to every situation, we will be better off in the long run.

Story and Photos by Nate Camfiord

Summer in Virginia is always a challenge for firefighters. The heat and humidity can be oppressive, and severely affect the health, safety and operational effectiveness of fireground personnel. And it doesn’t take much to get your self in trouble. Something as simple as a fire alarm, auto accident or dumpster fire can rapidly (and significantly) affect ones physiological stability.

Most health professionals recommend drinking 8 glasses of water per day in the warmer months, and a sport/electrolyte replacement drink during prolonged physical activity. But what about firefighters? Clearly the recommendations for average Joe are woefully inadequate for firefighters. Anyone who has worn full turnout gear and SCBA bottle in the summertime heat can attest to this. Operating at a working fire changes the requirements beyond measure.

Firefighters are by nature go-getters. We love going to fires! Nobody wants to miss out on a second of fireground ops – even if its overhaul. The better companies hold themselves to high operational standards, and subscribe to the “first men in, last men out” mentality, which is a highly commendable trait in the fire service. Those are the type of guys we all want by our side and at your backs. So the question becomes “How do we balance the implementation of an aggressive firefighting mentality with equal consideration given to firefighter health and safety?” It’s a delicate balancing act, and certainly a contentious topic in today’s fire service.

FDNY Lt Ray McCormack created quite a stir at this years FDIC conference when he proposed a shift from a “culture of safety” to a “culture of extinguishment”. Fire service chat boards exploded in the days following the speech. Some were appalled at Lt McCormack’s speech, and interpreted his comments as an “old school” and “outdated firefighting mentality”, where aggressive tactics are deemed reckless (by today’s standards), and put firefighters at unnecessary risk. Personally speaking, I interpreted his point of view as quite the opposite. What I heard was – if you put the fire out, safety increases for everyone. The quicker this task is completed the quicker a safe environment is established (for civilians AND firefighters). If firefighters continually position their own safety OVER those we have sworn to protect, then they will hesitate at critical moments, and rapid extinguishment will be hampered, therefore affecting the safety and survivability for everyone involved.

So once more, balance is critical.

Preventative Measures: Preparation is key! Firefighters need to do everything they can to set their bodies up for maximum performance. A proactive attitude becomes especially important during the summer months, when heat and humidity take a toll on even the most experienced firefighters.

1) Adherence to a regular exercise regimen that balances strength and cardiovascular training is critical to prepare for the distinct rigors firefighting presents.

2) Quality nutrition. Maintaining a healthy balance between carbohydrates, protein and fats provides the body the fuel it needs to do work. Ingesting multiple small meals throughout the day is preferable, as doing so ensures stable blood sugar levels, which in turn maximizes physical strength, stamina and endurance.

3) Fluid intake. Maintaining proper hydration and electrolyte balance is CRUCIAL.. Fluid loss during summertime fireground ops is extreme, even during short duration incidents. Failure to properly address the body’s physiological needs during this time can have disastrous repercussions. Fires will continue to occur, no matter what weather conditions exist. That cannot be changed or controlled. It’s the nature of the biz. What can be controlled is how we prepare our bodies for such conditions. A good rule of thumb is 8-12 ounces of water every waking hour. Sport/electrolyte drinks should be used during and after any operations that cause significant sweat loss. It is not enough to carry only water on the rigs! Water can only do so much. Without the appropriate electrolyte balance in the body system water cannot do its job. Proper sodium and potassium levels are necessary to maintain fluid levels in and outside cells. Electrolyte depletion can result in a wide variety of physiological emergencies, including cardiac irregularities, decreased blood pressure (through volume loss), pronounced fatigue, loss of consciousness, seizures, blurred vision, and in extreme cases, death.

4) REHAB. Yes, it sucks. Because while YOU are there, somebody else gets to have all the fun while you sit on your butt and watch. This reality aside, rotating in and out of rehab during extreme weather conditions is not up for debate. It must happen. Fluid and electrolyte replenishment coupled with measures to reduce core body temperature are critical to firefighter safety and operational effectiveness. Now, how long you have to remain in rehab depends on how well you prepared yourself before the tones dropped. There are a number of new gadgets available to assist in cooling off overheated firefighters. If you can afford them, go for it. If not, applying cold packs (not directly on the skin) to the armpits, neck and genitals (below the scrotum in men) is an effective way to rapidly cool core body temperature, as the blood vessels in these areas are very close to the skins surface.. Cool the blood and you cool the body.

5) Other points: Remember that alcohol and caffeine are diuretics and therefore contribute to fluid and electrolyte loss by inhibiting the body’s production of ADH (anti-diuretic hormone). If you ingest any alcohol the night before your scheduled shift make fluid replenishment priority #1 once you wake up. A sport/electrolyte drink would be ideal, followed by consistent water intake in the following hours. Many of us cannot bare our existence without coffee in the morning. That’s fine, as long as you get extra water on board once you’re appropriately caffeinated. Sodas should also be avoided, not only for their caffeine content, but the high sugar content as well. High blood sugar levels also contribute to dehydration through increased urine output (which is why one of the early signs of diabetes is excessive urination, as the body attempts to rid the blood of excessive glucose). Some of the better sport/electrolyte drinks are those with a reduced sugar content, such as Gatorade G2, or POWERADE ZERO (no sugar).

Outside of the less than desirable working conditions firefighters are forced to contend with during the summer months, it is also the time of year to spend outside with friends and family. A time for back yard barbecues, vacation with the kids and focusing on the simple pleasures of life with those held dearest. Take care of yourself. Take care of your brothers, and watch each others backs. That way we all go home.

Stay safe.

By Becky Robinette Wright
Firefighters were toned out on Aug. 7 around 2:40 a.m. to the 8900 block of Watchhaven Lane.
A county police officer arriving on scene first reported flames inside. A smoke alarm had warned the family and they safely escaped.
Smoke rolled from the roof and from the eaves.
Five inch quick connect powered the hand lines and crews hit the fire hard with an aggressive interior attack.
The fire was brought quickly under control.
Responding were Engines 15, 11,17, Truck 3,Medic 15,TSO and Battalion 1. County Police handled traffic and crowd control.
No injuries were reported.
The cause is under investigation.

By Becky Robinette Wright
Tones sounded and Richmond Quints 22,23,17,Engine 17,Rescue 3 and Battalion 3 responded to 5004 Snead Road on July 21 around 6 p.m. for a possible structure fire.
Crews arriving on scene discovered smoke in the apartment building and a washer on fire.
Firefighters quickly knocked the fire and then removed the appliance from the apartment.
No one was injured.

By Becky Robinette Wright
Robious and Old Bon Air Roads were the scene of a motorcycle MVA on July 15 around 11:35 a.m.
Toned out were Engine 4, Medic 4 and county police.
Crews discovered one person was injured. The victim was quickly packaged and transported to a local hospital.
The patient’s condition has not been released.

By Becky Robinette Wright
Engine 1 was dispatched along with county police to Branders Bridge Road at Happy Hill Road on July 13 around 7:45 a.m for a MVA.
Crews arriving on scene discovered a dump truck and a car had collided,with a victim in the car trapped. Rescue 14 was quickly dispatched.
Crews extricated the victim and two patients were transported via ambulance to the hospital.
Patient conditions have not been released. Police have not said if charges will be filed.
Responding were E1,Rescue 14,Medic 1 and Medic 17.

By Lt. Brad Dougherty

Firefighter Survival – Breaching a wall down and dirty

View the powerpoint presentation here – breaching-the-wall-ppt