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The responsibility to conduct successful acquired live burns that are NFPA 1403 compliant is enormous and one that many instructors are uncomfortable with. Many in the fire service frown on using acquired structures as burn buildings. Of course there are inherent difficulties when using an acquired residence. They must be thoroughly checked out for hazards seen and unseen and remodeled if necessary for safety. Using a fixed burn building as opposed to an acquired structure is a trade off on ease of use, reliability and repetition, versus tremendous site preparation along with comparatively reduced predictability and repetition. NFPA 1403 was brought about to standardise live fire training and to increase the safety of its participants. Several safety breaches led to the creation and revision of this standard. The fire service needs NFPA 1403 to be understood and utilised by those wishing to do a live burn. The blueprint it provides assists instructors on how to proceed and is the baseline for firefighter safety. There is debate as to the need to use an acquired house to conduct fire training as opposed to using fixed fire resistant buildings. Fixed buildings are found at fire academies and are built devoid of additional fire loading. Burn buildings have a longer life span and should offer up few if any surprises when burns are conducted inside them. Using an acquired structure usually allows for a limited use cycle. This is due to the fact that the training staff and all the equipment must be brought on scene away from the academy along with additional burdens. Remember we are now conducting fire training within the community. All of our usual conveniences are no longer available or have been modified to conduct the training. Once we run out of suitable rooms to burn in, the training life of the building is typically over. Burn buildings require virtually no prep work as compared to an acquired building; however they just do not replicate fires the same way. Maybe it’s due to their construction and the familiarity of evolutions instructors have done within them. There is a certain richness and reality to a burning house. If you have never been part of a live burn training session, they proceed with assembled fire crews that rotate their extinguishments of individual fires and any associated extension. The main point of a live fire training event should always be safe fire extinguishment, under strict, experienced and knowledgeable instructors. There are many skill sets that can also be incorporated into the training; however the most important should be the refining of hoseline operations. Firefighting in an acquired is often used as the final phase of training for recruits who have trained in burn buildings prior. ‘ The only variation between “real” world fires and live burn training is that many additional safeguards are already in place prior to entry unlike a real fire.’ This aids the firefighter in putting it all together. They will see exactly what they will be dealing with and have an opportunity to see what it is really like. To stretch hose, pull ceilings and walls, and discover the bones of a home. This is the real thing. I was once asked where you, as the instructor, stay when assigned to the attack hoseline. As the instructor/officer you must stay with the firefighter who has the nozzle. If you loose track of that firefighter everything is in jeopardy. If the nozzle team doesn’t make it to the fire room the safety line will have no choice but to extinguish the lost crew’s fire. The only variation between “real” world fires and live burn training is that many additional safeguards are already in place prior to entry, unlike a real fire. We know the fires location and also that it is the only fire within the home and that the home is structurally sound. We always place a charged safety line inside the home staffed with instructors near the fire room. This hoseline can be used to knock back an expanding fire or extinguish it completely if there is a problem with the attack crew. From the IC (Incident Commander) Safety Officers, sector commands (ex. rehab), company officers and firefighters, live fire training is a hands on skills based training event benefiting all ranks. Which is better a fixed burn fire or a house burn? There have been training accidents at both types of facilities. The standard when followed allows us to provide this training as safely as possible. Using an acquired house allows firefighters to have the most realistic training in their core mission. Second Generation I believe there needs to be a second generation of live fire training. This second generation will build upon the current standard. Although extinguishment skills will remain at the forefront, this next generation of live fire training is designed specifically to assist students in how to safely extinguish a range of fire conditions. Liveburntraining.com and FIRE LLC are currently designing such a program. The idea behind this project is to develop and train groups of regional instructors who will then present this new type of standardised live burn to students from their respective areas. The program will demonstrate various fire conditions that have not been previously explored within traditional training modules. Some fires have already been scientifically studied and the data obtained will be turned into training fires for students to observe and experience first hand. This article is not intended to act as a blueprint on how to conduct live fire training. Please consult your local jurisdiction and fully incorporate NFPA guide 1403.

Ferrara Fire Apparatus dates to 1979 when President and CEO Chris Ferrara founded Ferrara Firefighting Equipment. At the time he was a pipe fitter/fabricator for one of the nation’s largest petrochemical refineries in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Chris was also a volunteer firefighter at Central Volunteer Fire Department. While he was contributing to the community by volunteering his services as a member of the local fire department, Chris soon realised and understood the many constraints placed on fire departments. Central VFD served a rural area without hydrants to adequately service their community. This created a need for a water tanker to assist in firefighting operations. The cost of a new apparatus, coupled with a virtual lack of funding, required other avenues to be explored in order to procure the apparatus. With his knowledge of firefighting and experience in fabrication, Chris and other members of the Department decided to build their own tanker. After many hours of hard work and dedication, this group of young firemen, led by Chris, delivered the new tanker fire truck to their department in Central. And perhaps most importantly, they accomplished this while saving the community thousands of dollars. The tanker project was a success and it inspired a career change for Chris. He soon founded a firefighting equipment and supply distributorship, initially operating out of his home. Ferrara Firefighting Equipment represented many of the industry’s top manufacturers of firefighting equipment. Ferrara was also the largest sales and service center in the South for automobile extrication equipment, with Chris being a well known and sought after extrication instructor. Ferrara Firefighting Equipment was incorporated in 1982. At that time, Chris established a full-scale service, warranty, and repair center for several major apparatus manufacturers. This service center offered preventative maintenance and repair on existing apparatus and warranty service repairs on new vehicles. Early in 1988, Ferrara Firefighting Equipment expanded and began offering major refurbishment of apparatus and assembly of pre-built fire bodies and fire pumps on new and used chassis. Later that same year, with the desire to meet the individual needs of his customers, Chris started Ferrara Fire Apparatus, a separate company from his successful equipment business. This new company manufactured heavy duty commercial pumpers, tankers, mini pumpers, and service/utility vehicles. This marked the beginning of an extensive line of fire, rescue, and specialty vehicles. While Ferrara’s focus changed from that of a distributor and service provider to a nationwide manufacturer of fire and emergency vehicles, the principles of serving the needs of individual fire departments did not change. By 1992, Ferrara Fire Apparatus was ranked as the tenth largest U.S. manufacturer of fire apparatus, delivering over one hundred heavy duty, custom fire apparatus. Ferrara’s now famous heavy duty, extruded aluminum fire body was introduced in 1992. Constructed entirely of aluminum plate and extrusions, this innovative concept led the industry with its engineering and design. The introduction of the extruded aluminum body, used for pumpers, tankers, rescuesand, eventually aerials, greatly expanded the product line. Now Ferrara was the only fire apparatus manufacturer in the industry to offer its customers such a wide variety of custom fire body styles and materials, from galvanneal steel, aluminum, and stainless steel modular and unitised all-welded bodies, to Ferrara’s innovative new extruded aluminum design.   ‘Understanding that no two fires are identical and no two fire departments are exactly alike, Ferrara was determind to offer market driven concepts to the fire service.’   Understanding that no two fires are identical and no two fire departments are exactly alike, Ferrara was determined to offer market driven concepts to the fire service. Ferrara once again expanded its offering of fire apparatus to include a full line of aerial devices. Ferrara’s custom designed fire apparatus now included pumpers, tankers, hazmat units, large and small rescue vehicles, as well as aerial ladders and platforms. In 1994, Ferrara designed and built a new facility located in Holden, Louisiana, a 110,000 square foot, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, located between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The facility, designed around actual stages of production, remains one of the most modern in the industry and incorporates the latest in technology and equipment. In 1998 Ferrara Fire Apparatus introduced its premium custom fire chassis, the Inferno. The Inferno was recognised for its innovation and automotive quality design, offering a roomier and more comfortable cab. The chassis was easier to handle under the most demanding situations. Inferno innovations included heavy duty roll cage cab framework, all 3/16” thick marine grade aluminum cab skin, oversized windshield and side windows for improved driver visibility, certified and optimised steering for improved handling, oversized air conditioning systems for better climate control, and attention to detail safety and maintenance. Introduced shortly thereafter was the Igniter, a mid-range custom chassis designed with the same quality and safety features of the Inferno. Soon to follow was the Inferno Lo Cab for low profile aerials, a 2-door rescue cab and a 4×4 all wheel drive chassis, all built for use in extreme conditions. Other Ferrara innovations followed, including Independent Extreme Duty all aluminum interior, Independent Front Suspension, Smart Wheel steering wheel and CAP, the Complete Airbag Protection system that was the industry’s first system to provide airbag protection for all outboard-seated passengers and seat belt draw-down protection for all occupants. The Inferno and Igniter cab has successfully passed ECE-29 crash worthiness testing. The vertical load achieved was 65,979 pounds, or approximately 300% of the total required by the ECE. The frontal impact was 3,726 pounds, or 1-1/4 times the ECE standard. Ferrara went a step beyond that required by the standard by also conducting vertical load testing with the same 66,000 pound weight, resting it atop their heavy duty extruded aluminum fire body. Ferrara is the only fire apparatus manufacturer who has tested their cab and body to these stringent standards. To meet growing interest in the Inferno and Igniter custom chassis, Ferrara Fire Apparatus, expanded again in 2000 by adding a 40,000 chassis manufacturing facility and a 35,000 square foot used apparatus

In talking with rescuers around the world I often ask the question “what is your primary job at a motor vehicle accident with a trapped victim?” They most often respond (looking at me like I’m an idiot) “get the tools and cut the victim out”. They are, of course, wrong. Yes, extrication is an important part of the job, along with several other important steps. What inexperienced rescuers don’t understand, and what experienced rescuers often forget in their haste to grab the big hydraulic tools are the two primary jobs that we need to accomplish: 1. Protect ourselves 2. Protect our patients And whom do we most often need to protect the patient from? Us, the rescuers! Let’s go through a typical vehicle accident. For this article we will use the example of a vehicle on its side, after a collision, with victims trapped. Arriving rescuers need to position their vehicles to protect the scene while searching for hazards such as power lines and leaking fuel or chemicals. These hazards need to be addressed and resolved prior to extrication. ‘Stabilisation was not thought to be very important. It was percieved that our job was to move metal.’ Next is typically the positioning of charged hose lines for immediate response to fire. Most rescuers perform these steps correctly. Now our rescuer is looking at a very heavy lump of deformed metal and plastic with an injured victim somewhere inside. Here is where they typically start doing things wrong; they fail to adequately stabilise the vehicle. To better understand why rescuers often do such a poor job of stabilisation and why stabilisation is so important we need to learn a bit about the evolution of the motor vehicle. In the past, most vehicles were manufactured with a heavy steel frame upon which were bolted or welded heavy steel cages and skins. We call these vehicles “bricks”. When they rolled over in a crash they would deform somewhat but tended to retain most of their shape. Unfortunately for the victims, most of the forces of the crash impact were transmitted through the vehicle to their bodies. When these vehicles ended up on their sides it was fairly easy to stabilise them with wedges and wood cribbing. Since the cribbing could push against the steel frame and thick steel skin, the vehicle would be fairly stable. When I started in the rescue service in the early 80’s, any further stabilisation was provided by the biggest rescuers literally leaning on the car! Interestingly, the philosophy of the rescuers was also different. Stabilisation was not thought to be very important. It was perceived that our job was to move metal. The vehicle would be rocking with guys climbing all over it prying parts off with the primary rescue tool of the day, the Spreader. Considering how delicate a victim’s spine is with a broken neck or back I’m sure we further injured many victims because they were unnecessarily moved and jolted around. Sometimes these inadequately stabilised cars shifted or fell, resulting in rescuers becoming victims. Today’s vehicles are made of lightweight metal cages with thin springy sheet metal or plastic panels spot welded or glued to the cage. We call these vehicles “beach balls”. When they roll they tend to bounce around like a ball because of the resilient, dent resistant panels and lightweight construction. We are seeing vehicles that have bounced into trees, on top of other vehicles, into buildings and other unusual positions. Stabilising these vehicles can be extremely difficult and requires the ability to support loads off the ground. During crash impacts the panels and crush zones of the vehicle deform, absorbing energy and translating forces around the victims, thereby improving their chances of survival. The result is that we now arrive to find a crunched up ball of plastic and metal with a viable patient in the middle of it. The vehicle may also be precariously perched on top of another vehicle or other object. When we pound wedges or cribbing between the ground and vehicle we get very little effect because the dent resistant panels flex and absorb the wedges. Because of this, we have lost the ability to stabilise most of these vehicles effectively using wood or plastic cribbing alone. Rescuers have also changed. Virtually all are now medics. We understand that our primary job (after protecting ourselves) is patient care. The last thing we want to do is to cause further injury to the patient in the process of delivering them to advanced Life Support personnel. To do this, we must completely stabilise the vehicle, use care when using the modern day primary extrication tool (the Cutter), and delicately handle the patient’s spine while removing and transporting them. The first and most crucial step is stabilisation, and most rescuers are bad at it. Why do we do such a poor job of stabilisation? There are several reasons. Some are: ● Leadership. Leaders may not recognise the importance of stabilisation and fail to make sure the vehicle is correctly stabilised. ● Insufficient equipment. Standard wood or plastic cribbing alone is often inadequate on newer vehicles. ● Tunnel Vision. Rescuers are anxious to use the big hydraulic tools and forget or ignore good stabilisation practices. ● Experienced personnel. Since the hydraulic tools are often taken by the most senior (experienced) rescuers, the inglorious job of stabilisation is often relegated to the junior, inexperienced rescuers. How do Rescuers deal with these “beach ball” vehicles? Rescue equipment designers (I am one) understand how new vehicle technology has evolved, and have responded with equipment to solve these issues. The technical term for these tools is “Tensioned Buttress Systems”. The simple term is “Struts”. Before we can understand Struts and what they can do for us, we need to learn a bit about the physics of stability. The easiest way to picture stability is to use a triangle. If you have a triangle with a narrow base sitting on the ground, it is easy

In the last article I wrote I talked about safety as it relates to the chief officer. I discussed the need for each chief to be responsible for his own personal safety as well as the personnel that he is supervising. The question now becomes what about the individual firefighter and his responsibility in the safety chain? You could answer that simply by saying that each person has to take responsibility for their own safe working habits. Is that the end? Absolutely not. Firefighters tend to be a reckless lot and I know I’ve mentioned that before. When you are a young person in this industry, you have tendency to feel omnipotent based on the experience that you have on any given shift. Now the problem is somewhat of an axiom in terms of time. The longer you go without an injury, the closer you are to having one. This doesn’t have to be a firm consequence if one takes the proper precautions before engaging in risky activities on the fireground. I’m not going to get into the details of safety precautions for each instance but rather the philosophy of personal safety and how to be the safest firefighter on the scene. Before the Call On any routine day in the firehouse, almost everyone develops some degree of complacency. Whether it is going into the kitchen for a cup of coffee (or tea) or going into the gym for a workout, you have a routine and ignore most things that do not interfere with your transit. The one thing you know when you’re on duty is that, at some point, you’ll be dispatched on an emergency call. When the call comes in, you have to be ready to respond to your assigned apparatus, don your turnouts, and get set in your assigned position. How will you best do that without ending up with an injury? Two things … think before you move and walk quickly, don’t run. The reason for both should be obvious. If you think before you move, you increase your awareness of potential obstacles on your route. If you walk quickly instead of run, if an obstacle presents itself, you have a better chance of avoiding it. Let’s carry that thought through other routine activities at the firehouse. During vehicle and apparatus checks at the start of your shift, are you paying attention to your activity? If you are then the odds are in your favor for avoiding an injury. Think about what you do during a typical apparatus check and I bet you can think of a couple of scenarios that could produce an injury. You’re starting to see a theme in this discussion. One word … think. ‘Think about what you do during a typical apparatus check and I bet you can think of a couple of scenarios that could produce an injury.’ On the Scene This is the critical time for you to be acutely aware of everything going on. You say there are so many things happening on an emergency scene, how can you think of everything? Really you can’t, but what you can do is think about the likely activities you’ll be participating in. Also think of the potential additional activities that may be assigned to you and your crew. All of a sudden, you have considered nearly everything that is going on during an incident. To go around and take stock of the “big picture” is the responsibility of the chief officer assigned as the incident commander, however the individual firefighter is still responsible for identifying potential issues that may  become large as the incident progresses. The potential issues do become part of the safety chain and if they are not identified in a timely fashion, they will become hazards to the individual firefighter. So what if you encounter a hazard that needs to be mitigated for safe operations? Will you take it upon yourself to clear up the problem or will you notify a superior officer that there is a problem? Of course we know we should inform the sector officer of the problem and more than likely be assigned to mitigate it. If you go off and fix the problem by yourself, you may be successful, but the problem you just took care of may actually cause an additional problem for another sector. When you freelance, you run the risk of making additional problems from trying to fix one. Think before you act. Slow down and survey your area of responsibility, notify a superior officer and follow the directions given. Most of you have been taught this method and most of you adhere to it. Unfortunately, there are some personnel who feel that they can do anything they want without regard for their fellow firefighters. Freelancers get themselves and their compatriots in all kinds of trouble due to personal arrogance of their skills and skill-level. While I’m not looking for firefighters with doctoral degrees, I do expect that if you’re part of this service, then you should possess the personal insight to know your own limitations. If, as a chief officer, I am required to go back and rescue freelancers who thought they would take care of something without letting me know and they get in trouble because of it, I will be less than amused. This goes back to the idea of the safety chain. If you break a link, the chain is worthless. Don’t break the link. The Safety Chain The safety chain is a simple concept. Each stage of the process of a task involves certain, inter-connected activities – the link. Each link requires a certain degree of attention to perform it safely. All of these together form the chain – the safety chain. Most tasks around the firehouse as well as the fireground can seem routine, especially the more frequently they are performed. I spoke about complacency before and it continues here. You cannot get complacent about any activity regardless of how routine. I

Label: Opinion Title: From Bricks to Beach Balls: Theevolution of the vehicle rescue strut Teaser: by Tim O’Connell Label: Opinion Label: Company Profile Label: Opinion Title: Live Burn training and its future Teaser: Thirty years in the business – we track the companys success Teaser: By Lieutenant Ray McCormack

Teaser: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA Website: http://www.ifssevent.com