Do you know about - What Happened in Charleston - And Why?
Volunteer Ems! Again, for I know. Ready to share new things that are useful. You and your friends.Charleston, Sc (August 18, 2007) -- The tragic fire that snuffed the lives of nine of Charleston's Bravest is the worst tragedy beset the fire assistance since 9/11/01. Of policy the immediate need following the disaster was to mourn the loss of so many great men, and console their families.
What I said. It isn't outcome that the true about Volunteer Ems. You see this article for information about anyone wish to know is Volunteer Ems.How is What Happened in Charleston - And Why?
But now -- months following the incident, after reports and critiques are starting to flow in. In a nutshell, we're learning that the Charleston Fire department is operating in the past.
Use of 1" Booster Lines
One of the earliest criticisms came from firefighters colse to the country. Video and still images showed small, snaking red hoses prominent into the building. Is it possible that Charleston made the first assault using booster lines? The sass is yes - because it's how they've all the time done it.
These 1" diameter rubber hoses, known as booster lines, were commonplace on fire trucks here in the Usa 20 years ago. In most cities they were nicknamed "trash lines" and were used to extinguish small nuisance fires. They have since been phased out in most departments because they proved extremely ineffective while the structural firefight and placed firefighters at risk.
Jamy Cote, a former Charleston firefighter, told the Charleston Post and Courier, "The (booster) is usually the first to be pulled off the truck," he said. "Big fire, small fire, it's so ingrained to pull the booster." Such protection inadequacies convinced Cote to resign from Cfd
The water flow of a booster line is often debated but experts agree that 50 gallons per dinky is the general maximum. Assess that to the flow rate of an Inch and ¾ handline, which are also carried on Charleston's engines., which is 150 gallons per minute. Nationwide, these inch and 3/4 handlines are most often used to extinguish a room and contents fire in a single-family dwelling. Potatoes compared to the job facing Charleston firefighters.
"With the amount of fire showing upon their arrival at the sofa warehouse, Charleston firefighters should have chosen to strengthen more marvelous 2.5 inch lines," says Battalion Chief Ron Vista of the Charlotte (Nc) Fire & Rescue. Monsters yes - but at 350 gallons per minute, deuce and a half hose have 10 times the firefighting possible of a booster line.
Charleston Response Sops
When a fire is reported, most departments have a pre-planned response that takes into observation the type and size of the construction and its occupancy. For example, if the sofa storage fire had taken place in Philadelphia, 4 engines, 2 aerial trucks, a heavy salvage squad and 2 Battalion Chiefs would have responded. Count 31 firefighters on scene.
But while the real-life fire in Charleston, only 2 engines and an aerial ladder were dispatched. Upon arriving at the storage at 7:11pm, only 11 firefighters were assembled. Their first focus was on extinguishing a blaze in the rear loading dock area, with a secondary endeavor to evacuate civilians and preclude the fire from spreading to the showroom and warehouse.
The Firefight
A record of the incident, prepared by Chief Billy Goldfedder reads, "As time progressed, smoke began to appear in the showroom, and shortly thereafter an surface door was opened near where the (loading dock) fire was raging." At that point the fire entered the showroom, feeding on a wealth of fuel - any tons of furniture.
Reports are that only one hoseline was in place to defend against the rapidly enthralling blaze. At the same time, dispatchers notified companies that they had received 9-1-1 calls from an employee who had come to be trapped in a closet area.
Firefighters rightfully turned their concentration toward the salvage operation, and the firefight took a back seat to the most immediate task. At 7:20pm the trapped victim was freed after firefighters had breeched an surface wall.
Following the rescue, firefighters should have been ordered to evacuate the building. With no added life-safety issues, the firefight should have moved from inside the builidng to an surface attack. However firefighters remained working in the showroom, many of whom became disoriented in the smoke.
News video shot from the front of the store clearly shows firefighters breaking windows in what would usually be an endeavor to vent the interior of the building. However in this case, the tactic was mis-timed and firefighters unknowingly fed the blaze with the oxygen it needed to grow even larger. In Goldfedder's timeline, at 7:25pm the interior of the structure erupted into a huge flashover enthralling the structure contents as well as the firefighters inside. With the store fully engulfed in flames, salvage was impossible and by 7:30pm the structure collapsed onto the bodies of the nine Charleston firefighters.
Early Findings
In new days, the early findings from the dozen or so federal and local investigations that are taking place confirm that Charleston is a department that has been (and continues to be) operating in the past. Here's the short list of findings...and they're saying it nicely.
Establish Fire department protection Officer position
Apply incident command procedures on all incidents (Ics - Nims procedures)
Rapidly implement personnel responsibility system with passports and Par
Reinforce proper use of personal protective clothing and Scba.
Increase first structure fire response to three engines and one ladder.
Utilize the third motor as the Rapid Intervention Team (Rit)
Working fire - dispatch 2nd Battalion Chief, 4th motor enterprise and an Ems unit.
Utilize the second-arriving Battalion Chief as the incident protection officer
Communications changes including the use of the 10-code
The use of the tactical radio channel for responses.
Changes in water provide proper operating procedures with near-term transition to large diameter provide hose.
Use of 1-1/2 inch hose, or larger, for interior assault as well as vehicle fires.
Changes to proper nozzle configuration and flow for all handlines
Incredibly, the changes suggested here are not new to the fire service. In fact, they are proper policy for even the smallest of volunteer fire departments in this country. It begs the question, "What the hell was Chief Rusty thinking?"
Some experts say that the department is so far behind current trends that only a major restructuring could perhaps solve the problems in order to allow the department to control more effectively - and safely. The panels can only make recommendations, so the quality to change, if it is to take place at all, lays solidly with the community, the good citizens of Charleston, who deserve much better fire protection.
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