FIRE ENGINEERING

FIRE ENGINEERING

March 1985

Volume 138 No. 3

DEPARTMENTS

EDITORIAL 6

VOLUNTEERS CORNER 8

Positioning your elevating platform

TRAINING NOTEBOOK 10

Residential roof insulation—a new headache

DISPATCHES 20

Lethal agent in smoke

High-pressure cylinders in service

Grit-edge blade

Alert notice decal

Phase out of American LaFrance

INNOVATIONS/DELIVERIES

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 16

EQUIPMENT DIGEST 74

COMING EVENTS 78

APPARATUS 80

NEWS 83

NAMES IN THE NEWS 84

TRAINING AIDS 85

CLASSIFIEDS 89

READER SERVICE CARD 91

FEATURES

STRATEGY AND TACTICS

MODEL INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM 22

The importance of effective and efficient fireground communications is stressed in this eighth article on the National Fire Academy’s model incident command system, BY BURTON W. PHELPS and EDWARD J. MCDONALD

FIREFIGHTING BASICS

FORCIBLE ENTRY, Part 2 30

Unless fire forces can gain entry to involved structures or areas, fire losses will be severely increased. And with an escalating crime rate, firefighters are often faced with high security, “burglar-proof” devices. Here are some techniques that the authors have found successful for overcoming high security locking devices.

BY TOM BRENNAN and PAUL McFADDEN

FIRE REPORTS

NEW YORK’S MONTH OF FIRE 40

Last January, New York City experienced a concentrated rash of multiplealarm fires unknown by even the most seasoned veteran. FIRE ENGINEERING presents here a pictorial essay on several of the incidents.

PHOTOS BY WARREN J. FUCHS, BOB PRESSLER and GLENN D. USDIN

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

CHEMICAL FUMES CAUSE MALL EVACUATION 48

A hazardous material response unit averted potential disaster by sticking to disciplined basics and pre-planning when a container of sodium hydroxide ruptured beneath a busy covered mall. BY OWEN MAGEE

HANDLING HAZ-MAT INCIDENTS, Part 2 60

Education, training, and equipment must all come into play in order to effect a properly prepared hazardous material response team. This month, the author concludes his discussion of valuable guidelines for conducting a safe, effective operation until a team is sufficiently prepared. BY FRANK L. FIRE

RESCUE

SCHOOL BUS EMERGENCIES, Part 2 54

Incidents involving handicapped persons present unique rescue challenges to emergency service personnel—and ones that personnel should be prepared for. This is the second in a series of articles that FIRE ENGINEERING will present on bus rescues and extrication procedures. BY RONALD E. MOORE

FARM EXTRICATION 68

The wide variety and intricacies of different models and types of heavyduty farm machinery make standardized removal techniques impractical. Here are some common procedures that will remain the same at the majority of incidents. BY GLEN BLACKWELL

fort lauderdale dogs fire

Fort Lauderdale (FL) Firefighters Save Dogs From House Fire, Department Says

Firefighters pulled four dogs from a smoldering Fort Lauderdale home that was in flames just minutes earlier Thursday morning, according to the department.
MN Barn Fire

4,000 Pigs Lost in MN Barn Fire

A fire late Wednesday evening has resulted in a total loss of a hog confinement and the 4,000 hogs inside.