HONOLULU — When Honolulu Fire Department Engine 9 arrived at a house fire on Young Street on Jan. 6, 2025, crews believed the flames were nearly under control. Engine 2, the first on scene, had been attacking the flames from outside.
Believing the fire was close to being controlled, the acting captain of Engine 9 ordered a search, sending his crew, including Firefighter Jeff Fiala, inside without a hose, a tactic added to department guidelines in 2022. Within minutes, conditions deteriorated, firefighters were forced to retreat and Fiala suffered fatal injuries. The incident has prompted the department to reexamine the tactic.
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Supporters say unprotected searches can save civilians by allowing firefighters to quickly look for trapped occupants without being slowed by a charged hoseline, Honolulu Civil Beat reported. Critics call the tactic reckless and dangerous, and federal workplace safety investigators concluded it was the top of five key factors in the NIOSH report on Fiala’s death.
“The only exception for entering a structure without an operational hoseline is when an occupant can be seen or heard within a few feet of the entry,” the NIOSH report stated. After the Young Street fire, it was determined that no occupants were inside.
The Young Street tragedy has renewed debate over whether unprotected searches are worth the risk and whether Honolulu crews are properly trained to perform them. Some are urging the department to roll back the policy, and the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association has requested a meeting with department leaders and asked island fire chiefs to share new training proposals with the union.
Union President Bobby Lee, a 36-year veteran of the department, said he was stunned to learn the department was using unprotected searches and believes it should return to its previous practices.
“The No. 1 priority is firefighter safety,” Lee said. “We have to be able to protect ourselves. We cannot help anybody if we cannot protect ourselves.”
Hawaii workplace safety investigators concluded after Fiala’s death that the Honolulu Fire Department failed to ensure supervisors could recognize hazards, maintain safety protections and reinforce training, and fined the department $16,550.
The Honolulu Fire Department has not changed its policies but says an internal review of the Young Street fire is underway and will include recommendations. Until then, unprotected searches remain an option.
Do you think firefighters should ever enter a burning structure without a charged hoseline, and why? Share your thoughts and experiences below.
