Topic: Exterior Knock Down Reference #: DG 14-06 Level of Instruction: In service personnel Time Required: 3 hours
Instructor Preparation:
This drill requires basic preparation in order for it to be successfully conducted. Preparation includes having a safe location to conduct the drill and a large enough area. See “Set Up” for further detail. Safety is a must during the duration of this drill. Make sure the location selected is protected from traffic and harmful debris. Large parking lots are excellent. This topic may be new to many of the participants, so there are hyperlinks included for videos and more information.
Goals:
The goals of this drill are:
To review set up on departmental fire apparatus for master stream devices (mounted or portable) and larger diameter hoselines (preconnected or not), and nozzle flows for both. Review the concept of “softening up the target” or utilizing a rapid exterior attack to “knock down” a structure fire before entry. To practice quickly getting larger flow hoselines and master stream devices into operation.
Materials: Your department’s equipped fire apparatus. Traffic cones to block traffic in parking lot.
References: Jones & Bartlett Fundamentals of Fire Fighter Skills 3rd edition, Chapter 22. Are You Listening To The Research? By Brian P. Kazmierzak and Drew R. Smith http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/2014/03/are-you-listening-to-the-research.html FETI Drill Guide 13-02 Portable Master Stream Rapid Deployment-One Engine Reverse Layout The Blitz Attack: Just Blast It! by Paul Shapiro http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/2011/01/shapiro-blitz-attack.html FETI Drill Guide 14-06 6/2014 Page 1 of 5
Instructor Set-up:
The practical portion of this drill is relatively simple and doesn’t take much time at all to set up and involves a minimal amount of equipment. But it does involve skills we don’t (thankfully) use frequently, hence the need to keep preparedness sharp. You will probably want to use the videos that are in the fire engineering link, so you will want to record them from the internet to play on a computer (and hopefully large screen) or have an internet connection to stream them in the station before you relocate for the practical session. Have traffic cones, vests and vehicles that can be used to set up a safe work zone.
Student Motivation:
There is much debate on new tactics and techniques with regard to fire attack based on new studies being conducted by NIST and Underwriter’s Laboratories, working with the larger fire service organizations. These are designed to improve firefighter safety and the effectiveness of fire attack.
Drill:
Classroom/Station:
1. Review the videos found at the Fire Engineering site in the article referenced above.
2. The new studies stress the need to get water on the fire as quickly as possible to limit it’s spread. This is actually not a new theory and the initial exterior knock down was common during the 1970’s and earlier.
a. The rapid exterior attack limits fire spread.
b. The newer studies indicate that hose streams from the “wrong” direction do not extensive spread fire as commonly believed.
c. The initial knockdown from the exterior allows personnel to force entry and prepare to enter with a hoseline (exterior line MUST be shut down before entry).
3. Review videos (many are available online) of structures with the windows being broken before suppression crews are ready to enter. The results frequently are a smoky fire “lighting up” and rapidly spreading while a door is forced, firefighters don their SCBA masks, and the attack hoseline is advanced. (Additional material available at Kill the Flashover's Chanel on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/KillTheFlashover, https://www.youtube.com/user/WeekendFirefighter.
4. There is a lot more on this topic and more debate and discussion to follow. For the purposes of the drill, the intent to rapidly get a line in place to knock down a fire either before it flashes over, or at least to “Soften the target” by knocking down much of the fire and reducing fire spread as air is introduced with the entry point (a door) being opened.
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5. Available lines and staffing a. A prepiped deluge gun, bumper turret is the fastest and easiest with the least amount of staffing required. However it requires the apparatus to be positioned for the stream to reach the desired opening with “Fast attack” ground proper penetration, which often is not possible (very hard monitor to hit anything but the Alpha side from the street). Requires a firefighter to operate the device. These flow between 500 to 1000 gpm generally.
b. A smaller “fast attack” ground monitor that is preconnected can be deployed by one or two firefighters very quickly. Most are 300 – 500 gpm and use one 2½” or 3” hose with 2½” couplings.
c. A preconnected 2½” became more prevalent with the “blitz” fire attack of the 1970s, and works well. Takes one or two firefighters for a stationary position just for knock
down.
Above photos used with permission Jones & Bartlett Fundamentals of Fire Fighter Skills 3rd edition, Chapter 22
d. REMINDER 1: The concept of “softening the target”, or “Kill the Flashover” does not require large flow devices if the fire doesn’t warrant them. This drill is for the larger fires. While generally frowned upon until recently, having a single firefighter rapidly deploy a preconnected line to initiate a knock down from the exterior can greatly reduce fire spread. Exterior streams should most often be narrow or straight stream to reduce steam spread outside of the fire area.
e. REMINDER 2: There is a long standing rule of thumb in firefighting that states when attacking a fire with the stream of choice, a knockdown, or at least a significant progress toward a knockdown, should be achieved within 30 seconds. If after 30 seconds, the stream of choice is failing, you need to apply more water volume and/or move it. This rule of thumb should be the basis for the exterior knock down and can be hard to enforce with the person on the nozzle.
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Practice:
1. Set up a safe and secure area
2. Practice and time (don’t make it a race – this is for planning on how long it takes to set up) and operate at a target you specify:
a. A prepiped deluge gun, bumper turret (if so equipped)
b. A preconnected “fast attack” ground monitor (if so equipped) with two firefighters.
c. A stationary preconnected 2½” (if so equipped) with one and with two firefighters. If your apparatus is not equipped with a 2½” preconnected hoseline, then ….
1) Time your largest preconnected hoseline at its highest flow with a one and two person pull off and set up, and
2) Determine how long it takes to set up a 2½ hoseline and nozzle. This may take longer than the concept of a quick knock allows for.
Review:
Clean up the equipment and return to service. Then come together in the meeting room or location of choice and take the time to have open discussions on what worked for teams and what didn’t. By doing this you assist in ensuring that the firefighters learn from each other’s experience.
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ATTENDENCE ROSTER FOR FETI DRILL GUIDE 14-06 Topic: Exterior Knock Down Reference #: DG 14-6 Version: June 2014 Level of Instruction: In service personnel Time Required: 3 hours
Fire Department: ______FDID ______Parish: ______Instructor: ______Number of Students: ______
Attendance Roster (Identify personnel from other fire depts.) Printed name Signature
Maintain this record for your department
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