Run!

Hey all I have a question! Do you think it's safe to run on the fire ground? The reason I asked is because I've seen and even read about a few injuries occurring.. If we're training as if it's a real call then why are we starting up bad habits "from what I was told and learned, we dont run on the fire ground" yeah we move with hast!! But running is not safe.. So what are y'all thoughts?

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Permalink Reply by Randy Cazalot on November 26, 2012 at 8:52pm

Guess the main thing here is, if you have to run for any reason, focus on what you are doing, while doing it. Weather it be running or moving with purpose, make sure that you are focused and not in tunnel vision.

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Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on November 26, 2012 at 9:07pm

Randy, what do you think the odds are that 'focused' and 'tunnel vision' are synonyms?Maybe what you are thinking of is 'situational awareness.'

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Permalink Reply by Moose on November 27, 2012 at 8:13am

Randy, the way you are putting it almost makes my point I am about to make. If you are focused on what you are doing and not on the entire picture, like Jack said with "Situational Awareness" than you might as well be tunnel visioned. On the fire ground you need to take in the entire picture and know where you are, what you are doing as well as what other teams are doing in order to coordinate efforts. It may become easy to not be looking at where you are "walking with a purpose" and trip on a hose line or bump into a ladder with someone on it.

But Ive been told I am a condescending ahole simply because I am trying to prevent any more injuries or LODD's in my area, and Ive been told by other officers in my department to back down from the safety angle a bit and not be as aggressive in my teaching of fireground safety...

Than at the 8 Hour OSHA refresher I took at my station last night these same officers are all nodding their heads in agreement with the instructor about being safe? Right after the class was over they were right back to being clueless jerks without a care in the world when it comes to firefighter safety.

There are times when you should hurry like when a life is at stake, but you should also maintain that situational awareness of the entire fire ground.

Stay safe brother.

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Permalink Reply by capcityff on November 27, 2012 at 1:31pm

I consider it my job to hurry at ALL times. Not just when a life is at stake. I swore to protect lives AND property. I'll bust my ass as much as I can. Just because I go from a walking pace to a running pace doesn't mean I lose all sense of reality and am going to die.

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Permalink Reply by Randy Cazalot on November 27, 2012 at 9:26pm

Situational Awareness is the best way to explain it. To be honest, this is the first I heard that term. Everytime we had a class, it was always,TRY TO NOT GET TUNNEL VISION, stay focused. We have a few rookies on our dept and Im always getting on them about staying safe. Like, "put your shield down, God only gave you one set of eyes." Safety on fire grounds is a big issue for me. I do my best to make sure the job is getting done safely. I suffered a third degree spring in my left thumb from tripping in hole one night while setting up a night landing zone for Air Med because I got in to much of a hurry and left my partner, with the flash light, behind. That cost the state money and I became another patient on that scene. Plus, I was out of work for a good week. So I agree, Situational Awareness is a definite on fire grounds.