If there is such a thing as a typical near-miss incident on the fireground, this was it.
This video shows a Sun City West, Ariz. battalion chief crashing through a charred second-story balcony railing during overhaul operations. His foot or feet somehow caught, and although he dangled upside down, he didn’t fall to the ground.
Firefighters on scene made quick work of rescuing him. He escaped unharmed and is back on the job. Again, if that doesn’t define near-miss, I don’t know what does.
Except for those who are very inexperienced or those who are very stubborn, we all know overhaul can be dangerous. It is dangerous because of the firefighter’s mental and physical condition as well as the structure’s condition. Throw into that mix the toxins still being off-gassed from the fire and you have a situation ripe for trouble.
After seeing the video a few times, I wondered if a similar scenario could happen to me. The answer, of course, is yes, it very easily could happen to me.
I am by no means an expert on safety or overhaul, so I went back and read what some of those who are had to say. Here are a few reminders:
- Keep a hand line ready in case the hidden fire is larger than expected.
- Continue sounding the floor as you would during a fire, as the building has been compromised.
- Have the RIT crew stick around during overhaul.
- Inspect the building prior to sending the crew in.
- Maintain member accountability — know who’s inside and who’s not.
- Know how much demolition is necessary to find the fire.
- Begin at the fire’s origin and work outward.
- Wear full PPE, including SCBA.
- Establish an area for debris removal.
- Don’t overdo it; exhausted firefighters make poor decisions.
The temptation to relax once the fire is struck is a great one. As the video shows, no matter what your role on the fireground, keeping aware and alert are critical to preventing and mitigating firefighter injury.
