Milan, NY – A family’s home in Milan, New York, is still standing after crews used ARA Safety’s FIT-5 fire knock down tool to suppress a fully involved fire that originated in one of the home’s bedrooms. Arriving on scene, first responders could already see flames billowing out of two bedroom windows. Past Chief of the Milan Fire Department, Jeffrey Galm, deployed the FIT-5 through one of the blown out bedroom windows while crews geared up and stretched lines.
“At first we were afraid the fire had too much of a head start for the FIT-5 to help, but because there were two vehicles in the driveway and occupants were initially unaccounted for, we deployed the FIT-5 to aid in our occupant search,” said Galm.
The FIT-5 reduced the temperature and created a safer environment for search and rescue. “Had it not been for the FIT-5 the fire would have quickly spread and the entire home would have been engulfed in flames,” said Galm.
It took the department, and four other Mutual Aid departments only 25 minutes to overhaul the once raging fire. Fire damage was contained largely to the room of origin. It is expected that crews will be able to restore the home, due in large part to the use of the FIT-5.
This was the department’s first use of one of their three FIT-5 devices, having only had them in service for two weeks. “After 18 months with no structure fires, I am glad to have had the FIT-5 as a part of our arsenal in time for this fire,” said Galm.
ARA Authorized dealer Brian Lynch of US Fire Tech, a past Fire Chief himself, said that one of the most important things the FIT-5 does is to make the fire ground safer for firefighters to do their job. “It is hard to justify not having the FIT-5 on every apparatus, considering its record in saving lives and reducing property damage.”
Pictures of the deployment are available on the ARA Safety website http://www.arasafety.com/fit‐interactive/deployment‐stories/2009/0217.htm
About ARA Safety
ARA Safety is a world leader in innovative fire and life safety technology. ARA Safety’s powerful Fire Interruption Technology (FIT) can knock down fully involved fires quickly and effectively, buying firefighters time to extinguish fires completely with little or no water. In November 2008, ARA Safety’s FIT-5 was included in Popular Science Magazine’s Best of What’s New in 2008. To learn more about ARA Safety and the FIT-5 visit www.arasafety.com.
