IT AIN’T OVER TILL IT’S OVERHAULED

IT AIN’T OVER TILL IT’S OVERHAULED

TRAINING NOTEBOOK

Much is written about safety in terms of strategy, tactics, and techniques in fire control. The fire service, through its safety message, seeks to reduce its death and injury record. In 1988 more than 100,000 firefighter injuries were reported, 60 percent of which occurred at fire emergencies, according to the NFPA. Although these statistics do not differentiate between fire control and overhaul injuries, our department’s experience has been that almost 50 percent of our injuries occur after the fire is under control. Fire department personnel must take positive and innovative steps to reduce these injuries.

A building damaged by fire is especially susceptible to structural failure. Supporting members are weakened and design loads often are exceeded by standing water or contents that have absorbed water. Trip hazards in the form of wires, cables, and displaced objects litter the area. Nails and other sharp objects are buried beneath ashes and debris, waiting for a misplaced foot or knee. Broken glass, torn metal, and other sharp objects are everywhere. Unless wellplanned and well-executed, overhaul surely w ill result in injuries or worse.

There are guidelines that incident commanders can follow to ensure a safe and effective overhaul.

Team objectives. Overhaul, like firefighting, is a team operation. You would not begin to attack a fire without some sort of plan, yet companies initiate overhaul without so much as a word. The IC or sector officer should brief, at a minimum, the company officers to be involved. This briefing should cover such relevant facts as timetables, unusual hazards, required equipment, and desired results. Different situations often require different levels of overhaul. Start at a clear area and move methodically through the building, section by section. Make sure that everyone is working toward the same goal.

Time factor. Unlike a fire attack, overhaul often is not restricted by time. If the fire occurs at night, especially close to dawn, wait for daylight to conduct extensive overhaul. Watch lines can maintain a scene with little manpower or equipment. If you feel you must overhaul in the dark, use plenty of lighting. Clues to the origin of the fire, one of the goals of overhaul, can easily be missed in poor visibility, and without origin, cause determination is virtually impossible.

Utilities. An often-overlooked element of overhaul is the securing of all utilities. Most incident commanders remember the electricity and the gas, but you also must shut off the water. Almost every fire w ill damage domestic water lines. Firefighters seldom worry about these lines leaking because their volume seems minuscule next to fire hose streams. Allowed to operate unchecked, they may ultimately contribute to preventable damage, structural failure, or injury. Just two inches of water in a 40-by-40foot area adds 16,000 pounds of undesigned load to an already damaged structure. Also remember that salvage comes before overhaul. Providing a channel or path for excess overhauling water out of the building before overhaul will reduce damage and maintain what’s left of structural stability.

Fatigue factor. Firefighters beginning overhaul are usually fatigued. Adrenaline carries many a crew through rigorous and successful firefights. When that action subsides, exhaustion sets in and sound judgment decreases as carelessness and injuries increase. Incident commanders must rotate crews to ensure fresh personnel are available for overhaul. “First in” should not mean “last out.” For less busy departments, this can be a way to get more of your personnel involved in each incident without compromising protection to other areas.

Respiratory protection. The incident commander should remember that the reduction of smoke in a fire building does not necessarily signal an end to the use of SCBAs: The need for them extends far beyond being able to breathe. When a fire is being overhauled, incomplete combustion is at its worst and so are the toxic products. The NFPA recommends that SCBAs be used whenever carbon monoxide (CO) levels exceed 50 parts per million (ppm). Low levels of CO can cause loss of coordination, disorientation, and dizziness. Any of these effects can increase injuries. Effective positive-pressure ventilation can speed the improvement of the atmosphere within structures for overhaul. Or, try connecting airline respirators to a cascade system to relieve the back burden of the cylinder and frame. Regardless of the method, make sure your firefighters are protected.

Clothing and climate. Along with SCBAs, there is the need for other protective equipment. You must -maintain a balance between personal protection and climatic considerations. For us, the South Texas heat is -a real problem. Our personnel shed their coats for overhaul as soon as it is safe to do so. We do not allow entry into a fire building without helmets, boots/pants, and gloves. The proper use of a rehab sector will help you *’ increase your firefighters’ stamina provided they are fit to begin with. Temperature extremes are never an excuse for unsafe operations.

In these days of heightened liability, we should examine the fire scene from a new perspective before we head back to quarters.

Hydraulic overhaul. In situations of heavy fire damage and/or unsafe structural conditions, an incident commander must be prepared to overhaul hydraulically. There is no valid reason for jeopardizing your fire personnel by having them manually ’ dig through and wet down an obvious total loss. Aerial master streams, especially tower ladders, are the most effective method of achieving yourgoal. If your department does not have this equipment, consider special calling (mutual aid).

Exercise caution in attempting to use equipment in ways it was not designed, such as using aerial apparatus for cranes or dislodging structural components hydraulically. Explore all of your options, develop a plan, and assemble your resources in advance.

Special equipment. When collapsed sections prevent hydraulic -overhaul or potential collapses are a public threat if left alone, the IC again must utilize his resources. We have found that property owners are usually very cooperative in obtaining specialized equipment necessary to complete these tasks.

We routinely call Public Works’ Gradall—an excavator—out to pull down unstable walls or chimneys. This piece of equipment, normally used by Public Works to dig ditches, is especially well suited for clearing the second floor of damaged apartment complexes when it is unsafe for firefighters to operate there. It is designed more for this type of operation than the aerial ladders I have seen some departments try to use. Collapsed roof sections can be lifted or removed with this or similar equipment.

After a recent multialarm apart-ment fire, the property owner willingly hired wreckers to move damaged/ abandoned cars out of the way. Thus we could complete overhaul and pull down the unsupported second-story brick veneer. –

Overhaul is a necessary and integral part of firefighting. It aids in the determination of fire cause and ensures that all hidden fires are extinguished. It also should render the building or area as safe as possible for the general public. In these days of heightened liability, we should all examine the fire scene from this new perspective before we leave it. -⅜

The incident commander must realize that once he reaches the “under control” benchmark, his time-sensitive priorities have generally been met. Congratulate yourself on getting through the tough part without any injuries. Reinforce the message that you’re certainly not going to get anyone hurt now. Follow these guidelines and use good common sense in your decision making. Approach overhaul as you did the first part of the emer* gency and your department will realize the benefits.*

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Four firefighters were injured battling a massive fire that tore through an abandoned Harlem building where jazz icon Billie Holiday reportedly once lived.