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VES
I know there's a lot of smaller volunteer departments on here and I was just curious how many of you use VES on a regular basis.(Career departments too) VES, Vent Enter Search for those that don't know, seems like it would actually be fairly beneficial to smaller departments because you can get more done at once. Here the hook man on the truck and sometimes the tillerman will perform VES. We already have the bar man inside forcing doors and searching by himself in front of the engine company. Then the rescue squad has two teams searching as well. If the hook man is throwing ladders, it saves time if he just does a quick search since he's already breaking out the window.(We never throw a ladder without breaking the window. Otherwise there's no point in the ladder)
Here's a nice video by a guy I work with. He's the tillerman on 17 Truck. It shows how quick you can have a ladder up, ventilate, perform a search, and get out by yourself. He recorded it with his helmet cam and used it for a training company run by himself, other DCFD guys, and some FDNY guys. Hope this helps some people. He has several others on YouTube as well that are interesting.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by WestPhilly on
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Vent "up and over".
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It's not jagoff, jerkoff.
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Permalink Reply by capcityff on
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Most big cities have their own traditional terms. NYC, DC, Boston, Philly are probably four of the most common just because they are old east coast cities with very old fire departments. Many people in other cities have no idea what I'm talking about when I say some things.
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If we're on the "right" side, you folks would be weird, jerkoff.
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Permalink Reply by 55 TRUCK on
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The execution as well as the decesion to use VES must be rapid. This not only hinges on the firefighters training, but his abilaty and that of his crew to read the fire scene in a split second.
VES is nothing new, they just gave a tactic used by city firemen for yrs. a niffty name so it would sound nice at the top of a training manuel or Firehouse magazine article.
We at the city dept. Are blessed to have many officers and back stepper who came on the job back in the late 60s & 70s. Many came from the war in Vietnam to the war teh fire dept. in our cities were wageing on the streets when fire after fire was being set & fought in the ghettos/slums of our cities across the US...The War years.
If you are not blessed like we are to have these firemen leading you or next to you on the back step. If ever you have the chance to speak with one of these Brothers I strongly suggest you do it.
Mention VES and they might say "what?" or " Back in the day we called it."
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Permalink Reply by EngineLadder on
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I love the term SELF RESCUE our chief told the news as to why closing companys on a rotating basis was not dangerous a week later had a fatal fire first due truck closed guess the people did not self rescue.
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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Not everyone will self-rescue in every situation, everywhere. Not every fire district has the fire protection code and enforcement that we have.
Just wondering - was the fatal fire you described in a structure with an operating sprinkler system, working smoke detectors, and a monitored fire alarm system? If not, then your situation is apples-and-oranges to mine.
Disbanding companies or brownouts are not desirable, period. They obviously reduce capability.
On the other hand, having no companies closed or browned out is no guarantee that we'll rescue every civilian from every fire.
VES is a valuable tool in the toolbox. So are other vent techniques and methods. They are not a replacement for built-in fire protection systems, which are also valuable tools in the toolbox.
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Permalink Reply by Devan Mills on
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We usually do not train on VES, i know what it is and and i know the importance of it. But the little volunteer department i am currently on does not do any interior searches very often, maybe 3 times in the last ten years. The reason being none of our firefighter's have had any type of formal training, such as a Firefighter 1 course, or anything like that but i am not saying anything bad about the department i love the department and the people on it. our chief just does not believe we have to the training skills necessary to safely, and effectively do that just yet. However i am starting college to get my Emergency Medical Tech, And my Firefighter 2 diploma so hopefully with my schooling i can help better my department, and all of my brother's, and sister's within my department
Stay Safe Brother's and sister's : FF Devan Mills 14 engine gvfd
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Permalink Reply by Derek R. on
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As others do, I believe it would be a great tool to have, and practice. We do the left hand/right hand search method. It's what we practice and what we know. I like the idea of going in and closing the doors to aid in the prevention of fire spread. Might as well take a quick look around for possible victims while in there.
To add, in my time at the dept., it's been all self-rescues.
This (VES) will be discussed at the dept. soon. Just in case the circumstances call for it.
Good video by the way.
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Since this topic also started to talk about normal searches, here is a new video by the same guy released a few days ago of a fire from last week. It's not as interesting in my opinion, buy 17 Truck makes a good grab and the guy is still alive. If you click on his user name he does have some good older videos though that teach a lot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYeMhR4-usU&feature=player_embedded
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Permalink Reply by FFN WebTeam on
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You can also learn more from it at Traditions Training's latest blog post, where they discuss the importance of staying on task in company operations and how it relates to VES.
FFN
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