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Does your department throw salvage covers?
i was looking over a new truck and noticed that there was a only one salvage cover that was used to place full and empty bottles for rehab.
Is placing salvage covers a thing of the past?
when i was on the line whenever i found important papers espically family pictures i'd place them in plastic bags (every house has some) and either place them in the fridge or oven (yes,i'd unplug them). i often heard the family remark positively about it later and said nothing knowing it was the right thing to do.
i cannot remember the last time i saw a salvage cover thrown at a fire scene and was just wondering if anyone was still doing it and if not, why?
Its good PR
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jason on
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Putting papers and pictures in a bag is a very commendable thing for you to do. Can't say I have ever seen anyone do that.
As for covers, I typically see them used sparingly.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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Fire cadets can be seen above training on the correct method to throw a salvage cover.
To not provide salvage covers to minimize additional damage is insane. What this tells me, and correct me if I'm wrong here, folks are focusing on rushing to the fire, and putting water on the fire, screw the contents? Use of salvage covers during an attack is one of the things that we do. Save lives and property, right? Not surround and drown... Just sayin...
and as far as how we deploy salvage covers, IFSTA is still alive and well in our world... accordion folded salvage covers with various payout methods involving throwing the covers are employed. of course, to do so correctly, and while wearing full PPE and a SCBA requires practice and training...
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Permalink Reply by Reg Mathis on
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Did it day before yesterday for an attic fire. Used it to cover furniture to protect it during overhaul.
So to answer your question, yes, we still use them to protect property...
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Salvage Cover Lesson Plan
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SalvageI.pdf, 37 KB
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Permalink Reply by Bill Carlisle on
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Yes we do use tarps to cover, salvage is very important , with this day and age of computers,x-box ,flat screen tv, pictures the more we save the better, I like the plastic bag idea for the photos , If you have ever been through a house fire you would really appreciate the salvage effort
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Permalink Reply by Alan McGuigan on
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We train and use salvage covers as a general rule I think its important part of what we do, If you look at our primary priorities which are to protect and save life and property, we are not just there to put the fire out. It sure helps with your public relations as well, houses can be rebuilt but pictures and furniture that hold sentimental value cannot. If you can protect contents and minimize water and smoke damage by laying down some salvage covers then it’s something you should be doing.
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Permalink Reply by Damo on
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We have about 5 covers on our truck for salvage. We also had a two hour lesson on how to use them, including how to make water slides, I mean water shutes to allow water to egress a structure. We are taught to try and save as many valubles as possible during an incident, which includes furniture and also pictures and heirlooms. Obvioulsy in a safe manner of course putting the fire out is the main concern and safety of the crews.
We had a house fire a few months back during a thunderstorm and nobody saw the fire until it had fully involved the attic and upper story. But, one of the interior FFs saw what he thought was a valuble looking item on his way out and just grabbed it. After the fact it turned out to be the homeowners Dads original Purple Heart from Korea. Nothing else was salvageable, but they couldn't have been more happy that a FF had taken the time to save this peice of family history. If we have salvage thoughts in the back of our minds then these quick thoughts can always save something that the person would be grateful for.
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Permalink Reply by Al "Top" Styles on
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Russ,
Great topic……. Tarps need to be thrown. Our job is all about customer service; often we go in beat the fire and leave. We NEED and HAVE TO remember that the people we are serving are having one of the worst days of their lives. So whatever we can do to make it just a bit better IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY. Throwing tarps, gathering possessions helping clean up is paramount to how we are perceived.
I carry bags in my car, so that my crew can salvage so belongings. We throw tarps all the time, we had a fire the week of Christmas and had a family who had a fire that traveled throughout the home, thankfully they had their bedroom doors closed so the damage was minimal, however we need to check for extension so we through about a dozen tarps to cover each bedroom and its belongings (3 rooms) and the basement, the family was so pleased with us and you would be surprised how it made my crews feel. They have told me that it made them feel great that we did this for the family and that the family showed there appreciation by saying thanks to each of them. Though a bad day, it turned out well.
Please read “Customer Service” by Chief Alan Brunicini and “Pride and Ownership” by Chief Rick Lasky if you want to read more about positive customer service. Stay safe brother.
“TOP” Styles
EGH-KTF-DTRT
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Permalink Reply by Norm Tindell on
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Yes, we use several salvage covers. We are very conscious of our need to provide customer service for our citizens. To us that means stopping the loss AND preserving as much precious property as possible. I spent a good 30 minutes carrying family photos and scrap books out of a structure and laying them in the yard to dry recently. The elderly woman who lived there noticed and she really appreciated it.
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Permalink Reply by John Dobson on
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Sure, We do...
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Permalink Reply by James Burton (Jamie) on
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My Department uses them all the time, we believe that it is important to protect peoples personal belongings if there is a chance. I went on a mutual aid to a house fire a few years ago, there was three of us chasing fire and we noticed, some scrap books, pictures and paperwork in an office, we put it all in a metal file cabinet, Also another Fire Department found a large painted family portrait and passed it out of a window. I did not really think much about it at the time but the family commented to the Fire Chief that they had found all this stuff and it was a great surprise, even after the total loss of there home.
Sometimes the smallest actions make the biggest reactions....Stay safe all.
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