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Comment by Rob Odenwald on December 23, 2008 at 10:00am

We have SOP's for everything, however we are required to be instinctive and react quickly. Our department is not required to follow 2 in 2 out only for a rescue. Thats why we need to train on the basics like SCBA and ladder raises, speed and accuracy. Most firefighters I know would do exactly what these guys did esspecially with the mother standing out in front of the house. Good save fella's.

Comment by Donald on December 13, 2008 at 9:10am

lutan is right, we SHOULD follow SOP. Nothing more important than going home to our own kids at night. I just wanted to point out that i completely understand why these guys did what they did. In a perfect world the RIC team on standby could have gone up the ladder or any other sector staging on scene.

Comment by Oldman on December 11, 2008 at 10:19am

Almost any incident we respond to has the potential of going south quick fast and in a hurry. While I understand what lutan1 is saying, and maybe the extra few seconds to be properly geared and ready would not have made any difference, in the overall outcome, I cannot condemn the actions in the video.

I know my department has a strict policy regarding two in and two out. My chief has said many times he would immediately suspend anyone violating the policy. I am fortunate that I have never been in this situation at a fire, but if it were to happen today, well, he would have to suspend me. I get extremely aggressive in my care of seriously injured children on an EMS scene and I don't think for an instant I would be less so at a fire.

As far as the ending remarks on the video, I don't see any other way to put it. It's a combination of all of them whether in this situation or any other. Sometimes luck is the final piece of the complete puzzle.

Comment by Allen on December 11, 2008 at 6:24am

I have to agree with Donald on this. There again, if you watch the video again you will see what appears to be a police office at the base of the ladder. Spotter Maybe? not sure. but i can assure you that if my partner calls out that he is coming to the window with one and i am at the base of that ladder i am heading up, helment or not.
We all try to put in our minds the training we get but when you get the rush started you have a habbit of forgetting things Esp when it comes to the kids.

Comment by Donald on December 10, 2008 at 11:26pm

People can say whatever they want about this video, but we all know that when its a baby or young child on the line, our actions do not always follow SOP. Even if you remind yourself to stay strict it does not always go that way. Anyone that's a first responder will tell you it's safety first, but also risk a lot to save a life, risk a little to save property (within limitations). Everything has the potential to go wrong. There could have been a second firefighter in that room we did not see. As far as the guy going up without a helmet and no spotter on the ladder, I would not be surprised to hear that the majority of us in that situation would have done the same.

Comment by lutan1 on December 6, 2008 at 2:04am

I'm a bit torn about this one.

There's no doubt that they made a great save, but what would we have been saying if they were injured or killed in the line of duty?

The video mentions proper SAR techniques, yet I've always been taught, and taught others that it's 2 in 2 out.

The video mentions radid donning of PPE and SCBA, yet as mentioned above, plus the second member ascending the ladder without his helmet.

And how do you conclude a video with the statements, "Experience and Luck"?

Is it luck the one in the room didn't become lost?

Is it luck the one climbing the ladder didn't fall?

Again, great save, that ended well, but the potential for this to turn the total opposite direction is huge....