By Michael N. Ciampo

January brings the start of a new year, filled with all types of resolutions for so many firefighters. Whether the resolutions are personal or professional, many of us use this time of year to revive and reenergize our careers and lives with something we see as fulfilling and beneficial. Many times, we try to achieve these goals in record time, only to burn out and revert to our old ways. However, for many firefighters, proceeding at a steady pace with strong will and determination will help us achieve our resolutions. Much like on the fireground, you have to proceed with the determination to get the job done safely and sometimes one step at a time.

Basement stairs. Proceeding down basement stairs is often very dangerous to do under some very harsh conditions. You've been told that the faster you get to the bottom, the quicker you'll be below the rising heat. Unfortunately, so many of us get to the stairs and fly down them with only a "It's cooler at the bottom" mindset. But is that really the way you want to proceed? Proceed down FEET first, but even before that, SIZE UP the stairs you're going down as well as the fire and the building's characteristics. If you find that the door to the basement stairwell (normally under the main stairwell) is closed, feel it for heat or use the thermal imaging camera prior to opening it up.

If the door is open on arrival, probe with one arm or leg, and feel for the stairs: Are stairs open tread or solid? Are the stairs sturdy or shaky? On which side is there a wall? Is a railing present? Feel the width of the stairwell (in an emergency, it may permit only one firefighter to rapidly exit at a time).

Now that you have a visual of the stairs and you're ready to proceed down them, place your body's weight on them, ensuring the stairs can hold you. If a solid wall is on one side, you can lean into it for support and go down in an "outstretched" sitting position with one leg forward (a very useful tactic for advancing the hoseline down the stairs). Remember, use caution leaning into any railing on a stair; the weight of a firefighter or the air tank striking the balusters could dislodge them and cause you to fall off the side. Also, spacing out the members or having one member at a time descending the stairs reduces the chances of collapse in case the stairs are compromised.

Another advantage of going down feet first following a hoseline is that in a stairwell failure or a lean-to collapse, you could pull yourself up the hoseline or be pulled up holding onto it. In some situations, if the fire is so severe and consuming most of the basement and opening the door and proceeding down them is dangerous, you could keep the door closed (protecting the first floor and cutting off any extending fire) and have a hoseline proceed in from an exterior entrance if one is present.

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