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Idaho Falls Working: Video of Basement Fire with Trapped Occupant
Fire reportedly blocked the normal basement exit.
This July house fire video from Idaho Falls captures moments when firefighters are met with an occupant trying to escape from the basement via a small window. It should not be easy to critique this incident since we don’t know all of the details and local reporting was sparse, but do use the video to consider your own initial actions when faced with an obvious rescue.
Notice first how calm the scene appears. No panicky shouting and running back and forth wearing a path in the yard. Notice also the tool selection brought to where the occupant is; three different types of saws. Notice also that it appears the other primary tasks are being addressed as well by additional companies (hoselines stretched and in operation).
Ask if your shift, company and department would become distracted, fixated, by this type of scenario? How would your communication on the scene flow? What options would you exhaust in order to remove the occupant if normal methods failed?
“Fire rescue caught on camera” LocalNews8
FireRescue Magazine/FirefighterNation:
“The Importance of Rescue Preparation” Tippett Jr.
“The Elusive “Heroic” Rescue” Kertzie
Bill Carey is the daily news and blog manager for Elsevier Public Safety (FireRescue Magazine/Firefighter Nation, JEMS and LawOfficer sites.) Bill also manages the FireEMSBlogs.com network and is a former volunteer lieutenant with the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department in Prince George's County, Maryland.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by 55 TRUCK on
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It is not a heavy fire. No smoke coming from around occupent looks to be in the rear of the structure on the floor above the basement.
Tell occupent to go back inside. Put fire out, walk occupent upstaires and out door.
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Permalink Reply by WestPhilly on
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Yeah, I was kinda thinking they "rescued" him from the safest place in the house. But, as they say, "as long as nobody got hurt..."
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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The important thing was that they got him out.
As for the best tactics on this one, I agree with you. Leave the victim in place with one firefighter to reassure him and concentrate in getting lines inside and on the fire to kill it quickly.
It is also important to make sure that the entry path doesn't change the airflow in a way that will spread the fire. In this case, it's unlikely that this will occur given the victim's below-grade location.
If the victim isn't in immediate medical distress, it might be a good idea to keep him in the basement for a few minutes after knockdown. If the basement isn't smoked up, there's no need to rush the vic upstairs until some ventilation has taken effect.
Once again, this was a good rescue, and congrats to the firefighters that made it.
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Permalink Reply by Marc Hansen on
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Just a different take on it, but looks to me like the resident tried to get out a window that was smaller in the middle than he was making it hard to go back to the basement. Other than that good job by all involved
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