The old beauty of a fire war

When fire operations go awry, there is rarely a singular cause. Typically, injuries or results from a confluence of unforeseen causes, complications or "problems lying in wait." At a recent four-alarm fire in the Bronx, FDNY members faced just Such a confluence of complications. However, there were no disastrous consequences and nobody was seriously injured. Thanks to some experienced, quick-thinking Firefighters and company and Chief Officers, the operating forces deftly reacted to an unusual convergence of problems, averting a potential disaster .

The failure of fire fighting and rescue is often caused by a variety of reasons. In general, the occurrence of personal injury or accident is the result of unforeseen factors, the complexity of the fire (multiple) and potential problems.

In a recent fourth-level fire in the Bronx, firefighters at the New York Fire Department faced such a series of complex problems that were unprepared. Thanks to the rich experience and rapid response of firefighters, fire squads, and commanders of the New York Fire Department, a series of unusual problems were skillfully dealt with during the rescue operation to avoid catastrophic consequences and serious casualties.

Initial Operations

Early actions

At 1313 hours on July/2017, Bronx fire companies transmitted a signal 10-75 for a fire in a New Law Tenement (NLT), located at XXX Avenue in the South Bronx. On arrival, members' size-up indicated a fire on The third floor of a five-story, 25- by 75-foot, Class 3, suffer multiple dwelling.

In July 2017 the day of 13:13, No. 10-75 fire alarm information is sent to the Bronx fire brigade, located in the new law apartment in the South Bronx XXX Avenue (NLT) there was a fire. When the fire brigade arrived at the scene, the firefighters discovered that it was a five-story building with a floor area of ​​approximately 207.5 feet . It was a Class 3 building. It was a residential multi-storey residential building with an ignition point on the third floor.

The first-alarm units operated according to the FDNY's Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for NLTs. After quickly locating the fire in Apartment 3C on the third floor, Engines XX and XX paired up to stretch the first 13⁄4-inch hose-line, while Ladder XX began a primary search. Moments later, Ladder 31 advanced to the fourth floor to begin a primary search of Apartment4C. Engine XX—the third-due engine—also began stretching a 13⁄4-inch hose-line to back up the first hose -line.

First, the fire brigade that responded to the alarm arrived at the New Legal Apartment in accordance with the New York Fire Department's Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) . It was quickly determined that the fire was on the 3rd floor of the 3C apartment building, the XX Water Tanker Team and the YY Water Tank Fire. The team unit laid the first 45mm ( 1.75 inch ) water line. At the same time, the Yunti fire truck unit XX launched a preliminary search. Subsequently, the firefighters on the No. 31 ladder truck advanced to the fourth floor and began an initial search for the 4C apartment. The third ZZ tank fire truck unit arrived and began laying another 45mm water line as the first line for the first line.

Serious Complications

Complex scene

While the operation initially seemed like an average all-hands fire, Battalion Chief XX, Battalion 3—the initial Incident Commander (IC)—suddenly faced three separate complications that developed almost simultaneously, threatening members' safety and escalating the fire situation to multiple- Alarm proportions.

At the beginning of the rescue operation, it looked like an ordinary fire was being dealt with. However, the 3rd brigade captain XX , the original on-site commander, suddenly faced three different problems: the fire increased, the firefighters' safety was threatened, and the fire rating gradually increased. It is a secondary fire.

A approximate nine minutes into the fire operation, Engine XX—whose members were stretching a second hose-line—noticed smoke pushing from the cracks around the doorway of Apartment1C on the first floor (two floors below the original fire apartment). Next, Ladder XX Finally, Captain MarXXX CXXX—working in Engine XX—radioed the IC to report radioed the IC, calling for a hose-line and notifying the Chief that fire was extending to Apartment4C on the fourth floor (the floor above the original fire apartment). That they had knocked down the fire in the original fire apartment. But there was a disconnect between what Engine XX had reported and what Battalion 3 was observing—fire still was visible from the exterior, leaping from one window on the third floor in the one /four corner.

After a gap in the rescue operation started about nine minutes, XX tank fire units are laying the second firefighters hose, noting that smoke from the first floor (two lower than the initial fire apartment) 1C apartment door outward Come out. Then, the No. 31 Yunti truck team called the field commander ( IC ) by a radio call to add a water line and reported that the fire on the spot commander was spreading to the 4C apartment on the 4th floor (the first floor of the original apartment) . Finally, MarXXX CXXX, the squadron leader of the XX Water Tanker Unit , reported to the on-site commander via radio that the fire on the first fired apartment ( 3C on the third floor ) had been extinguished. However , the situation reported by the squadron leader of the XX Water Tanker Unit was inconsistent with what was observed by the Third Brigade, which was still able to see the flames from the outside and was pulling out from a window at the 1/4 corner.

Shifting on the Fly

Dynamic changes

In reaction to Engine XXs report of smoke on the first floor, Battalion 3 ordered Squad XX to force the door to Apartment1C to determine the source of the smoke condition. Seconds later, Squad XX reported heavy fire in Apartment1C. This was a highly unusual development -a heavy fire condition had developed below the original fire floor and it was completely unclear how it got there. What was known conclusively, however, was that several companies now were operating above an uncontrolled fire on the first floor. (FDNY Fire Marshals later Determined that the fire had dropped down from the third floor in an unenclosed shaft on the exposure #4 side of the building, entering an open window on the first floor.)

In response to the ZZ water tank fire truck unit reporting smoke on the first floor, the third battalion commander ordered the XX rescue team to break the door of the 1C apartment to determine the source of the smoke. A few seconds later, the XX rescue team reported that the fire inside the 1C apartment was very high.

This is an extremely unusual state of fire development - the fire below the floor of the initial fire floor was very large and it was completely unclear how it burned. However, it is certain that there are still several teams that are currently working on floors above the first floor where the fire is out of control. (The fire investigators at the New York Fire Department later determined that the three-story fire had fallen from the open uncovered shaft of the building's wall 4 and entered the room through an open window.)

With a torrent of complex new problem flowing toward the 3rd Battalion—and now the 6th Division, who had arrived on the scene—the Chief Officers in the street were forced to pivot and make some quick decisions. On one hand, Ladder XX had For a hose-line to control a fire that had auto-exposed through an exposure #4 side shaft window to Apartment4C (the floor above the original fire apartment). On the other hand, Squad XX had exactly thick heavy fire below the entire operating Force in Apartment1C. “Initially, when we started getting reports of fire on the first floor, it became a cause of great concern,” said Chief Hxx. “Did this whole fire start on the first floor and go unnoticed? That means it already Made its way through the second floor and we're fighting it on the third and fourth [floors]...We were very concerned in front of the fire building regarding where the fire was and if we could get control of it with so many units extended Above.”

A series of complicated new problems were thrown at the third battalion of the fire scene (now the 6th detachment). The commanders on the streets must quickly make decisions based on the changing circumstances. On the one hand, No. 31 ladder truck team has asked to lay a water line to attack the water and control the fire from the exposed shaft window outside the building's No. 4 wall to the apartment of 4C (the first floor of the original fired apartment). On the other hand, the XX rescue team has just confirmed that the 1C apartment under all rescue forces is burning violently.

“Initially, when we received the report on the fire situation on the first floor, it caused us great concern,” captain Hxx said. “Isn't the entire fire taking place from the ground floor, and we haven’t noticed? If this is the case, it means that it has crossed the second floor and spread to the third and fourth floors we are extinguishing... In front of the fire building, we really The concern should be where the fire is, and we can control the fire if the superstructure is threatened by fire."

Revising the Strategy

Tactical adjustment

After quickly analyzing the “injects,” Chief Hxx ordered Engine XX to re-direct their backup hose-line—originally destined for the fourth floor—to Apartment 1C on the first floor. “You've got to extinguish the fire that's below the Members," said Chief Hxx. "With fire that's extending above, we can be below it; we'll get to it." Chief Hxx also ordered Engine XX—the fourth-due engine—to stretch a third 13⁄4-inch hose- Line to Apartment4C. He now had three hose-lines in motion—one for each floor.

After a quick analysis of "Inside Water Attack", the captain Hxx ordered the XX Tank Fire Fighting Unit to redeploy their backups to lay their spare hose lines. The water line was originally planned to be laid on the fourth floor and now turned to the first floor. the apartment 1C.

"You must extinguish the fire that the firefighters are working on below the floor," captain Hxx ordered. "Even if the fire is spreading upwards, we have to have it under control, we can do it." Captain Hxx also ordered XX tank fire (the scene of the fourth tank fire) units, the laying of Article 3 45mm hose The line extends to the 4C apartment.

At present, there are already three water lines that are extinguishing fires, one for each water line.

With the sudden need for resources, Deputy Chief Jxx Dxx—the 6th Division Commander—quickly transmitted a second alarm, recognizing that two additional floors of fire in a NLT would necessitate additional engine companies to stretch hose-lines and truck companies for searches and overhaul A third alarm was rejected soon still.

Due to the sudden need to increase the rescue force, the deputy captain Jxx Dxx - the sixth unit commander, soon issued a second alarm to raise the fire rating to Level 2 when realizing the new legal apartment ( NLT The other two fire floors (the analysis should be on the second floor and the fifth floor) also need to increase the search for water tanker fire trucks and ladder fire truck teams. Soon, a three-level fire alarm was issued to raise the fire rating to three. level (third alarm).

Tactical Risk Mitigation

Reduced fire risk

With the Chief Officers outside in the street adjusting their hose-line strategy and calling for additional resources, the members and officers inside the fire building also needed alter their tactics to account for the dangerous developments. Uncontrolled fire now Third and fourth floors, hosting numerous Firefighters in a precarious position above the fire. “I received the transmission that there was heavy fire on the first floor,” said Captain Currid. “It was surprising because I had no reason to believe that it would Be there...I also had received a transmission that there was fire that exposed to the fourth floor as well, so we were sandwiched between floors of fire at that time,” he noted.

When the commanders on the street outside the building were busy adjusting the hose lines and requesting reinforcements, the firefighters and commanders inside the building were also required to change their tactics in response to dangerous developments.

Uncontrolled fires are burning on the first, third and fourth floors, putting a large number of firefighters in a dangerous environment above the flame. "I received a big fire message on the first floor," said Captain Currid . "It surprised me because I didn't believe the fire would be there... I also received information that the fire had spread to the fourth floor, so we It was caught in the middle of the floor above and below the fire," he explained.

“The knew for the three side most likely would be clear...based on all the Information I'd gathered at the time," explained Captain Cxx. "Ladder XX's Officer then verbally confirmed to me that he had an area of ​​safe refuge of a door, of an apartment that he exposed toward...the three side...We had an Area of ​​safe refuge ready to go while we were waiting for the other line to be put in place for the fire that was below us."

For a fire brigade operating above the first floor, in order to get out of the predicament, it is necessary to find a safe evacuation and shelter zone, which can eventually become their exit from the fire building.

"According to all the information I had gathered at the time, I knew that the current three evacuation routes would make us safe." Captain Cxx explained: " The captain of the XX ladder team verbally confirmed to me that he was close to the fire he was facing. A safe evacuation door was found in an apartment next to it...Three ways to evacuate... When we waited for the laying of a water line to save the fire downstairs, we found a refuge safe-haven zone that can be accessed at any time.”

While members on the inside secured a safe area of ​​refuge, Firefighters on the outside of the building also took steps to mitigate risk to the members working on the third floor. Firefighters placed multiple portable ladders to windows on the third floor, ensuring that Engine XX And members of the third floor now had a fire escape and portable ladders on the exposure #1 side and a safe area of ​​refuge on the exposure #3 Side.

When firefighters in a fire building find a safe refuge area, firefighters outside the building are also taking measures to try to reduce the risk of firefighters working on the third floor.

They erected several ladders on the windows of the third floor to ensure that the firefighters of the XX Water Tanker Team and No. 31 Yuntai Team could promptly evacuate from the fire in the event of a deterioration of the internal environment. At this time, the firefighters on the third floor had escape routes, which were the safe evacuation zone on the #1 wall ladder and the #3 wall.

An Elusive Room of Fire

Difficult to find a burning room

Back in Apartment3C (the original fire apartment), one room of fire continued to burn, undetected by the first-due engine and truck. After knocking down a living room and two bedrooms of fire, Engine xx still was having difficult locating the fire that a throng of members and cell phone-wielding onlookers on HXX Avenue plainly could see emanating from a window in the one/four corner.

Returning to the 3C apartment ( original fire apartment ) , the fire in one room was still burning, and the first team's water tank fire truck unit and the Yunti fire truck unit were not found. After the fires in the living room and the two bedrooms were extinguished, it was still difficult for the XX Water Tanker Unit to find the room still burning, and a group of firefighters on the HXX Avenue and crowds of people waving their mobile phones could clearly see it. The flame is smashing out of the 1/4 corner window.

Unbeknown to the members of Engine XX, a causing alteration had created a small bedroom — akin to a " dead man ' s room ” in a brownstone (that is a story or quote) — that was wedged between two large bedrooms in the one/ Four corner. To locate the elusive room, Captain Cxx was able to clearly communicate on his handie-talkie with Chief Hxx, who was performing as a spotter in the street. Using clear, concise language, Chief Hxx described the location of the fire that He was looking at, allowing Engine XX to locate the final room of fire. Once Engine XX found the third bedroom, members rapidly knocked down the fire before running out of air and requesting relief. Had this bedroom continued to burn, it surely would have Exacerbated the fire condition on the floor above, further endangering Ladder XX's position above the original fire apartment.

What the firefighters of the tank fire truck unit did not know was that between the two large bedrooms in the 1/4 corner, a possible change created a small bedroom like a secret room in a mansion. In order to find this small room, the captain Cxx communicated clearly with the walkie-talkie and the captain Hxx as an observer in the street . The captain described the location of the fire source he observed in simple and clear language and asked the tank fire truck unit to find the last room in the fire.

After the tank fire truck unit discovered the third bedroom, the fire was extinguished before the flames depleted the air and could release the pressure. If the bedroom continues to burn, the fire conditions on the third floor and above will surely deteriorate, further threatening the ladder fire truck team operating above the burning apartment.

Takeaways

key point

• It is critical to be aware of our capacitive biases—in this situation, the “normalcy bias,” which is the psychological state causing people to believe that things always will function the way they normally function. Captain Cxx made this point in his post -fire analysis, saying, "It would be important not to fall to a normalcy bias of the fact that we always think of fire stretching up. In this case, the origin of the fire was on the third floor and it extended down, quickly And heavily."

In this case, it is important to realize that our perceptions are biased. “ Normalcy bias ” is a mental state. It refers to people’s experiences that they often accumulate in the past. Understand what is happening in front of us, even if you encounter a disaster you have never seen before, you will still believe that everything will proceed normally.

Team leader Cxx mentioned this in the post-disaster analysis. He said: “It's important not to fall into inertia. In fact, we always think that fire will spread upwards. But in this fire, the fire point was on the third floor. But it spread rapidly and violently downwards."

• Firefighting strategy always must be flexible. While operations at Bronx Box 4x-xxxx began according to FDNY SOPs, the Incident Commander was forced to veer in a new direction in reaction to a highly improbable development—downward fire extension. To mitigate this threat to Members' safety, the IC took the highly unusual step of placing the second hose-line below the original fire floor. “You've got to redirect your resources where they're needed most,” said Chief Hxx. “In this case, We needed to redirect units below what we thought was the initial fire for the safety of everybody who was above."

The firefighting tactics must be flexible. In the Bronx, this rescue operation began in accordance with the standard operating procedures of the New York Fire Department, but in response to the extremely unlikely development of “fire spreading”, the field commander Have to make redeployment.

In order to reduce the security threat to the firefighters at the scene, the site commander took unusual measures - deploying the second hose line under the floor where the fired apartment was located. "You must redeploy your rescue force to where it is most needed," captain Hxx said. "In order to ensure the safety of every firefighter operating upstairs, in this case, we need to redeploy force to what we believe is the point of fire."

• Members must take concrete tactical steps to mitigate risk. At xxx Hxx Avenue, members inside the building sought a safe area of ​​refuge when confronted with a heavy fire below the original fire floor. Firefighters outside the building also placing multiple ground ladders to windows within Reach in order to provide an additional means of egress.

Firefighters must take effective tactical measures to reduce risk. In the xxx Hxx street, firefighters inside the building caught the threat of a fire on the floor below the fire floor. They found a safe refuge zone.

Firefighters outside the building also erected several ladders at the windows accessible to firefighters in the building, providing additional escape routes for firefighters inside the building.

This article is reproduced from Orange Rescue.