Nashville Fire 2 1/2 Attack Line

This is a great video watch at the 2:15 mark when they use the Pin and Hit method.  I will make some videos of the Pin and Hit it is a great technique.  Some people hate hose rolls I have heard the arguments because of kinks.  I personally have not had any problems with them as long as they are charged to the correct PSI.  Or at least close....  Try it even if you don't love it you will come up with something that works for you.

Helmet Cam Seaside Fire

http://www.youtube.com/user/jhasting4?feature=watch

Amazing how far these helmet cams have come.  The video and sound is so clear.  What does your department use for a bundle? I will make a video of our bundle and put it up.  I would like to see what everyone else is doing. How Long? What size?

Inforcer

Check out the Inforcer door prop at FDIC.  Hands down the best forcible entry training door.

Machine Rescue Class

Here are a few pictures from Machine Rescue class by PL Vulcan Fire Training.  Do you carry a machine rescue kit on the rig?  What do include in your kit?

Here are some example items...

• Ratchet set
• Screw driver
• Channel locks
• Reverse pliers
• Small mirror
• Putty(for dissipating heat)
• Tin snips
• Dremel tool
• Ring cutter
• Fishing line (for ring removal)

Meat Grinder

Torch Work

Fence Impalement

Fence Impalement Packaging

 Vehicle Rescue Impalement 

Portable Band Saw

We spent some time using a portable band saw in the Machinery Rescue class today by PL Vulcan Fire Training.  I had not spent much time with this tool until today, but it proved very useful with impalements and other machine rescue situations.  It cuts efficiently with little to no vibration and dissipates heat well.  It can be cumbersome for tight spaces but still is a great option.

Do you carry one of these on your Rescue or Ladder?  What is your experience with this tool?

SBFD coordinated vent and attack.

This video shows how when you coordinate and ventilate you make the fire a safer environment for all firefighters on scene.  Great radio comm and aggressive vertical ventilation tactics.  Start when they pull up.  What do you see?  How would you protect exposures and stay aggressive?  What are your other concerns?  Time of day?  Thanks SBFD...

Door Size-Up Continued

This door appears to have pins that hold the door in place if the hinges are cut.  Thanks Randy Denzer for sending the pictures.

Door Size-Up

What's your door size-up?  What's your plan of attack?

Inside picture to come later...

More Security Screens

After making a recent video and post about security screens we starting hearing from other crews who also had these screens in their territory.  We went back to the apartments and made a few more videos removing these screens. 

Do you have these in your territory?  If so, where? Any other effective techniques?

Part 1- Introduction and 1st floor removal

Part 2- 2nd floor removal

Part 3- Removal from the interior

Entire video

What is Your Plan of Attack

The call came in with possible victims trapped In this vacant structure.  Start the video and look at conditions.  Pause the video talk about possible tactics with your crew and watch the scene unfold.  What would you do the same or different?  Talk about the different colored smoke at different openings.

Fire Engineering Training Minutes, Season 11 has a great video about techniques to avoid skinning a door during forcible entry.  On the right of the first video click "Skinning a Door."

 

 

A great video from Nick Martin and Fire Engineering Magazine.  Love a detailed look at the door.  Check out this metal wedge  look at the steps in the tips.  They help capture progress.  What else can we be using for single firefighter techniques?                                                                                         

 

Baseball Swing on Inward Swinging Door

This is Chris Moren (18A) with a quick one firefighter technique for an inward swinging door with a wooden frame.

This is another technique from Dan Self (E11A).

Here is an excellent video by Mike Perrone using a haligan on a wood frame.  Click here for the actually video.

Overhead Doors

How do you cut overhead doors?  The first video shows one technique, of many, to cut a panel or sheet curtain overhead door.

The second video, by Joshua Materi, shows an overhead rolling steel door with slats.

 

If you decide to roll the door up instead of cutting, be sure to pin the door open.  Watch this video of a garage door coming back down during a fire as the springs heated.  Skip to 1:40 to see the door come down.

Forcible Entry from FF Norman

Thank you FF Norman (Station 17) for this forcible entry write-up.

Engine __ was first on scene and had a fire in the garage. It was the leasing office, which looked like a house approximately 1200sqft, with an attached two car garage. Engine __ pulled a rackline and started attacking the fire in the garage. Quint __ was first-in truck and saw they had active fire, and the garage had just closed on Engine __. Luckily the crew was still outside when the door closed. We grabbed the saw (diamond blade) and hand tools. The garage was on the Alpha side. We saw an additional door (metal clad residential) that was on the Alpha side about 8 feet from the garage door. This door looked to have access into the garage as well. By the time we got to the door Engine __ had the garage door back open. My officer walked into the front door and saw that conditions were fine, and the fire had not made its way into the living area of the structure. Quint __ was ordered to force entry into the metal clad door (second entrance) into garage on the Alpha side.

I sounded the door and it looked as if it was catching about 1/4 down. We tried using hand tools to attack the deadbolt the traditional way. The door flexed past the frame, but didn't open. We tried attacking again 1/4 down between the handle and the top of the door, again it flexed, but didn't open. At this time I grabbed the saw and began to make several cuts (seen in picture) to the exterior of the door. I initially tried to "doggy door" it, but it still wouldn't budge. I eventually made an inspection hole and found that there were shelves that had been placed against the door. The structure was inaccessible from that door. We decided our efforts were not going to gain us access, and we re-directed our strategy.

Lesson learned: I was able to apply a tactic learned from roof operations and use it to find out what we had behind a door. When you can't figure out why you're not getting in, try cutting a quick inspection hole to see what is keeping you from gaining access.

These pictures show the exterior and also the conditions we had on the inside on the garage.

Steve Norman

In addition to this, Q__ ran into another challenging door about a week earlier. It was a commercial door with drop bar, but there were no visible signs from the outsdie. They worked through their process and defeated the door.

The pictures below show the doggy door and the triangle cut.  These are not initial tactics but are used when the traditional methods fail.  These pictures are from a class by Lt Mike Ciampo (FDNY) presented by Travis County ESD 11.

        

New York Hook Modification

New York Hook modification from Nathan Hager (18A)

 

Here's a few photos of a minor modification of the New York hook allowing us to marry the halligan and the hook. The reason why I wanted to do this was because I now see more FF's carrying a striking tool on a belt in AFD and wanted a way to most efficiently get the right tools to the scene. Even without the striking tool on a belt, a FF would be pretty well equipped with this setup. I welded a chain link to the hook's handle for the forks to rest on while the adze rests on the working end of the hook. Link size was key. It marries pretty well without a strap, but I prefer it with a husky strap from Home Depot.

 

Nathan Hager

 

Engine 28 PPV Fan with Tool Attachments

 

Engine 28 has made several modifications to their unit to make it more user friendly. One modification is tool mounts on the PPV fan pictured below. This ensures the forcible entry tools are always at the door and frees up a hand to carry a pull down hook or other tools.   

 

One downside is that it makes the fan a little heavier (and wider), especially when you have to carry it upstairs.

 

Vent LA City Style

These guys taught a class I went to a couple of years ago.  They are very good and you can see that from this crisp operation.  Notice the Inspection hole they cut.  The smoke indicators every ten foot or so.  Great work Brothers.

Ft Worth Fire Attack

Her we have another great example of solid fireground tactics leading to the change in smoke color we are looking for. 
Thanks Brothers

Window into a Door

We practiced making windows into doors several times at 51st St.  This video is not perfect but I don't think there is a such thing as a perfect video. 

(You will see one firefighter lose the tool though the window.  He expected more resistance when he hit the glass and tool kept going.  This is how we learn and why we train.)

Send us your training videos! They do not need to be edited and polished.  This information sharing site for you.

Saw Blades on Stucco

While training at the 51st apartments we wanted to compare our saw blades on stucco.  The first cut is using the "nugget blade"(random carbide tipped) and the second is using a diamond blade.  You will see that the diamond blade did a much better job on the stucco.  The nugget blade was an old blade but it seems like the diamond blade was still a better option.  Stucco which is similiar to concrete was very abrasive on the saw blade.

Review the previous post, Choosing the Right Saw Blade for the Job.

Has any anyone had different or similiar experiences?

This is a video of using two saws to complete a trench cut against construction. It is quick but requires practice and coordination.

Two Saw Trench Cut

This is training video only.  Proper PPE including SCBA should be worn on the fire ground. 
We chose this spot at random in order to make the video.  This might not be an ideal spot on this particular apartment complex.

Take some time to review the difference between trench and strip ventilation.  Here is a good article from Fire Engineering.

Reinforced Window Screens

These reinforced window screens were found at the apartments on 51st street. I know we have these on at least two more high occupancy apartments in 18's territory. 

The screens were defeated relatively easy with a little practice, but they would definitely slow you down if you were not prepared.

This video shows the strengths of the window screens.

This video shows one technique for forcing these screens.  We found that it also works well to attack the bottom edge.

Vertical Ventilation

If the video does not play, click here http://youtu.be/qTw8LtDqzqI

This is a simple hole but what else can we gain from this video?  Another use for the rubbish hook to extend out over the hole.

Look for new uses for everyday tools on the Truck.

Forcible Entry Through the lock

This is through the lock forcible entry.  This video has some good picks of the mechanisms to actuate the locks.  I have access to a lot of these locks so contact me if you want me to bring them by your station.

Ladders training Don't try this at home

If video does not play click here  http://youtu.be/lfoIOQgUu_8

 If video does not play click here http://youtu.be/5XWlgbUhziM

Pretty awesome videos of extreme ladder throws.  Get motivated for Ladders!!!!!!