By Jamie Thompson
FireRescue1 Editor
HOUSTON — The LODDs of two firefighters while tackling a house fire in April seemed to signal a worrying trend for the Houston Fire Department.
Prior to 2000, and dating back to its inception in 1889, the department had never suffered a fatality during interior operations. But the fire that claimed the lives of Captain James Harlow and Probationary Firefighter Damien Hobbs brought the number to seven since the turn of the millennium.
It prompted high-level discussion within the department, which has culminated with the creation of “The 10 Rules of Survival.”
The rules don’t herald a shift to a radically new firefighting approach. Instead, they aim to refocus members on the basic strategies — many that have fallen by the wayside since advancements in technology — that can enhance firefighter safety.
“After James Harlow and Damien Hobbs passed away on Easter, we sat down and brainstormed and tried to see if there was any one thing that we were doing that we needed to change,” said Houston Assistant Fire Chief Carl Matejka.
“We couldn’t come up with any one thing, but instead realized a number of different things were needed, and that has resulted in the Rules of Survival.”
Suggest solutions
The process began with bringing 12 district chiefs together to analyze the high rate of fatalities during interior fire attacks and suggest solutions to improve safety during such operations as well as general operations and responses.
“While these rules aren’t really about creating anything brand new, they are a way to refocus and kind of get back to basics,” Chief Matejka said.
“We ultimately believe that if our members look at and consider these 10 rules, then it will improve firefighter safety.”
One of the areas of focus under the rules is PPE and the false sense of security modern turnouts can provide. Advancements in design and technology can enable firefighters to enter further and further into the fire, sometimes to the point of no return.
The 10 Rules of Survival Seat belt – Use of Seat belts is mandatory any time the vehicle is in motion. Speed – Obey all traffic laws; obey all HFD policies; Do not bust red lights or intersections; Non-emergency response is acceptable. PPE – Only HFD issued PPE; No extra layers for insulation; weakest part of PPE ensemble is the SCBA face piece. Size-up – Perform a 360; accurate arrival reports; Use TIC for temperature reading prior to entry, communicate via radio. Water before you go – Goal to have an uninterrupted water supply before entry. Low-Low-Low – On entry; inside; on exit. Ventilation – Goal of first ladder is ventilation; Release heat and smoke to benefit firefighters and survivable victims. RIT – RIT on every incident; in place ASAP. Crew Integrity – Not an option; Critical to incident accountability; Call Mayday early. Communication – Throughout incident; interior and exterior progress reports. |
“Our PPE is better than it ever has been,’' Chief Matejka said, “and like many others, we have had the culture over the past 20 years that if we identified particular areas being more prone to burns such as the elbow or shoulder, then we get the manufacturer to put extra padding or insulation there..
“But we’ve reached the point where you can’t keep doing that anymore.”
Catastrophic event
Chief Matejka said the department will be stressing that PPE is designed to allow firefighters to have a better chance of escape from a catastrophic event and not entry into the fire.
“That’s not what the advancements are meant to be about, but the attitude is starting to become that if you can’t feel the heat then you can simply go in as far as you need to go.”
During some of the discussions that led to the creation of The 10 Rules of Survival, Chief Matejka said the committee members looked back at how the department operated when it didn’t have any deaths during interior operations.
“When I came into the department, one of the first things that we did at a house or structure was vertical ventilation,” said the 35-year veteran. “We simply had to as we couldn’t have got in otherwise in many cases.
“But our gear today allows us to walk upright. Back then, we would have to go in low, under the smoke. Today, we can walk through upright because we don’t feel the heat.”
Truck companies
The department will also be looking at how its truck companies work on the scene. When thermal imagers were first introduced to the department, Chief Matejka said, they were initially only placed on these companies.
“It meant that the ladder truck kind of changed its focus, from ventilation — a normal truck company job — to primary search,” he said.
“Now thermal imaging cameras are carried on all our engines, we’re refocusing that first-in ladder company from primary search to ‘Let’s get the atmosphere in that building better for everybody.’”
The department wants captains to take a lead role with the rules, beginning with a simple message of slowing down.
“All of our interior LODDs have involved the first-in apparatus, and they have happened within the first 10 minutes,” Chief Matejka said.
“What we want is for the first-in officer to perform a better size-up, to make a 360 around the building if possible so they have a truer idea of the conditions. By slowing down just a little bit, it can allow for a better grasp of what the interior and exterior conditions are.”