Safety Brief

Safety Brief JCFPD Training Division January 2006 2006-1 may be used to identify hot spots. Firefighters Station __________ Chimney Fires may also want to use a carbon monoxide (Initial and Date Chimney fires are to indicate detector if the joints of the chimney are knowledge of most prevalent suspected of leakage. contents) during the winter heating season. Firefighters often must go to the roof to 8__00 __________ Chimney fires are extinguish the chimney fire. Firefighters 8__01 __________ usually the result assigned to roof operations face all of the of creosote normal hazards associated with the use of 8__02 __________ building up on the ladders and working on elevated roofs. 8__03 __________ inside surface of Additionally, older masonry chimneys may be 8__04 __________ the chimney. unstable due to missing mortar. Firefighters Creosote is the should be cautious when operating around old 8__05 __________ resin-like residue from wood products that is chimneys. Because chimneys are often near the 8__06 __________ suspended in smoke. As the smoke cools, edges of roofs, exercise caution when removing creosote condenses on the inside surface of chimney caps. Firefighters should not place their 8__07 __________ masonry or prefabricated chimneys. face over a chimney, because rising heat and 8__08 __________ gases can cause injuries. Be cautious after 8__09 __________ How Chimneys Work dropping chimney bombs! 8__10 __________ Chimneys convey fire by-products from a Avoiding Injury 8__11 __________ fireplace or wood stove to the outside. Chimneys made of masonry often have a clay liner or flue. Some safety tips for combating chimney fires 8__12 __________ Metal chimneys may have a single layer of metal include: 8__13 __________ or may have multiple layers of metal with air gaps in between each layer. Wear all personal protective equipment, 8__14 __________ especially district-issued firefighting gloves 8__15 __________ Hazards for Firefighters to protect against thermal injuries; Minimize exposure to irritating extinguishing 8__16 __________ Firefighters responding to chimney fires may be agents; 8__17 __________ required to operate inside the home or on the Exercise caution when working on roofs. roof. Each assignment has its own hazards. 8__18 __________ Watch out for unstable chimneys, slippery surfaces, and hot surfaces. 8__19 __________ Firefighters assigned inside the home may have Coordinate extinguishing to remove the embers from a burning fire. 8__20 __________ activities between interior Embers (including those from cold fires) must be and roof operations to 8__21 __________ placed in non-combustible containers and avoid accidental 8__22 __________ removed from the home. injuries. 8__23 __________ In order to extinguish a fire safely, firefighters Protect Yourself 8__24 __________ should understand how fireplaces are constructed. The drawing below shows the Protective equipment will 8__25 __________ smoke shelf, where creosote may collect. Fire minimize exposure to 8____ _________ extinguishers may be used to attack chimney thermal and traumatic fires from inside the home. Extinguishing 8____ _________ injuries. Interior operations will powders may be irritating for respiratory be focused on minimizing fire 8____ _________ systems, so firefighters should try to contain the extension into walls and attics. 8____ _________ extinguishing powder inside the fire box or wood Roof operations may expose stove. firefighters to slippery surfaces 8____ _________ and unstable chimneys. 8____ _________ Firefighters inside the home may also have to Coordination is inspect attic spaces. Additionally, walls near essential for 8____ _________ chimneys can ignite internally. Thermal imagers safety! Safety Brief JCFPD Training Division February 2006 2006-2 Firefighters assigned to search a structure Station __________ Structural Search & should consider taking tools with them for safety (Initial and Date to indicate Rescue purposes. First, a forcible entry tool should be knowledge of carried. It can be used both to force entry and contents) also to penetrate interior walls for escape from Firefighters conduct fire conditions. Second, each search team 8__00 __________ searches during should have a portable radio with them. Radios 8__01 __________ structural fires to can be used to call for assistance or report rescue occupants who recovery of a victim. Third, each search team 8__02 __________ haven’t exited the should carry a handlight. Although visibility may 8__03 __________ structure and are be poor, handlights can also be used to as a exposed to fire 8__04 __________ beacon should the search team become hazards. There are two disoriented. 8__05 __________ types of searches— 8__06 __________ primary searches and Searches may be conducted with or without secondary searches. hoselines. Attack lines should be positioned to 8__07 __________ Primary searches are protect potential victims and the firefighters 8__08 __________ rapid and systematic, conducting a search. If conditions are still and are designed to 8__09 __________ unsafe for searchers, victims may not be remove all savable victims from the structure. savable. However, hoselines provide additional 8__10 __________ Secondary searches are slow and methodical, safety in two ways. First, firefighters may 8__11 __________ and are designed to locate deceased victims. protect themselves or victims if the exit is cut off by fire. Additionally, the hoseline will provide a 8__12 __________ Hazards for Firefighters path leading to the outside should firefighters 8__13 __________ become disoriented. There are many hazards for firefighters engaged 8__14 __________ in searching a structure. Firefighters must Avoiding Injury 8__15 __________ always recognize that their own safety is the highest priority. Structural fires can advance to Some safety tips for combating chimney fires 8__16 __________ the flashover stage in 4-10 minutes, depending include: 8__17 __________ upon the fire load. Additionally, smoke 8__18 __________ conditions will increase, making visibility a Wear all personal protective equipment, problem. These conditions can minimize including SCBA with PASS devices turned 8__19 __________ survivability for occupants and firefighters. on; 8__20 __________ Firefighters must Coordinate search activities with attack always wear their 8__21 __________ operations; issued PPE and SCBA Search on hands and feet to avoid tripping 8__22 __________ (with functioning on unseen obstacles; 8__23 __________ PASS device) inside If disoriented, move to lower floors or to burning buildings. windows on outside walls. Close the door 8__24 __________ behind you and open a window to attract 8__25 __________ Firefighters must maintain situational awareness attention. Use portable radios to contact and know where they are in the building. 8____ _________ command. Searchers can easily become disoriented under 8____ _________ fire conditions. Searches should be performed Protect Yourself 8____ _________ by following a consistent pattern after considering the building’s construction. Search crews are at high risk for disorientation. 8____ _________ Maintain awareness of your location in the 8____ _________ Firefighters assigned to the search function structure. Carry recommended tools to increase should work in teams, usually consisting of 2-4 personal safety. Remember that the first priority 8____ _________ firefighters. Pairs of firefighters improve overall for search teams is their own safety! If 8____ _________ safety and make it easier to carry the needed conditions are unsafe for firefighters, victim tools. survivability will rapidly decrease. Safety Brief JCFPD Training Division March 2006 2006-3 Avoiding Injury Station __________ Wildland Firefighting (Initial and Date The National Interagency Fire Center urges to indicate JCFPD firefighters often are called upon to fight knowledge of firefighters to learn the Ten Standard Fire contents) ground cover fires involving grasses, leaves, and Orders to provide for firefighter safety during brush. These types of fires can spread quickly wildland firefighting. These have been slightly 8__00 __________ and threaten the safety of firefighters who are modified for JCFPD operations. 8__01 __________ not prepared for rapidly changing conditions. The first of the standard orders describe the 8__02 __________ Hazards for Firefighters hazards associated with fire behavior: 8__03 __________ Wildland firefighters have been taught for years 1. Keep informed on fire weather conditions 8__04 __________ to observe the 18 Situations That Shout and forecasts. 8__05 __________ Watch Out. If we pay attention to these 2. Know what your fire is doing at all times. situations, we will avoid many of the hazards Observe personally or use scouts. 8__06 __________ 3. Base all actions on current and expected associated with wildland firefighting. 8__07 __________ fire behavior of the fire. 1. The fire is not scouted and sized up. 8__08 __________ 2. You’re in country not seen in daylight. The next three standard orders detail how to 8__09 __________ 3. Your safety zones and escape routes aren’t address safety on the fireline, and are based identified. upon the fire behavior issues listed above: 8__10 __________ 4. You’re unfamiliar with 4. Have escape routes and make 8__11 __________ weather and local factors influencing fire behavior. them known. 8__12 __________ 5. You’re uninformed on 5. Post a lookout when there is strategy, tactics, and possible danger. 8__13 __________ hazards.

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