Italian Close Call

Close call for Italian firefighters.

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Comment by Márcio Teixeira on August 18, 2010 at 6:45am: The problem was not the number of firefighters, it was rather the number of arson ... because lightning, fire was behind the fires, the whole country was on fire, and unfortunately the prison sentences for these types are not heavy enough. But I liked knowing that you already visit Portugal, unfortunately was not the best reasons, but one day that you can, I advise you to visit again, and passes through the Algarve.
Stay Safe ..

Comment by Lou Angeli on August 17, 2010 at 11:25pm: Marcio, it was in the city of Coimbra during the 2005 fires. I remember how quickly the fires were moving across the mountain, especially through Casal do Lobo. I remember that there were many wildfires in Spain and Greece as well that year. My wife and I were on holiday on Gibraltar so we took a flight to Lisbon and drove north from there. Perhaps you may have seen this picture?

Comment by Márcio Teixeira on August 17, 2010 at 8:03pm: Lou, because now I can not resist asking, what city is that you're photographing the forest fires?

Comment by Márcio Teixeira on August 17, 2010 at 7:57pm: Hi Lou thanks for answer

Comment by Lou Angeli on August 17, 2010 at 7:51pm: Marcio, Thank you for the correction and the very good description of the water supply system. Please notice that I did not mention Portugal -- I've been in Portugal to photograph wildfires, and you and your colleagues were very aggressive and should be very proud.

During the 1970's the high pressure semi riggid system of which you speak was used by a handful of US departments, mostly in rural areas. They were manufactured by John Bean/FMC Corporation and were well liked by the departments who used them.

Many thanks for your fine contrubution.

Lou

Comment by Márcio Teixeira on August 17, 2010 at 6:39pm: Hello Lou, I am sorry but I have to disagree with his statement. When you say across Europe using an attack line of high pressure booster. Across Europe, more properly speaking in Portugal uses lines are high pressure and low pressure. Semi-rigid hoses (high pressure), whose diameter can be 25 or 32mm, presents mounted on spools and are permanently attached to the hydraulic system of the vehicle, ready for use. Thus, its use is easy when the distance to the source of the fire is less than the length of the reel (usually not exceeding 60 m) and there are many obstacles between the vehicle and point of application of water.
They have the limitation of available flow is relatively low, which
only recommends its use in the fires of little springs
intensity, especially outdoors.

Flexible hoses with diameters can be 45mm and 70mm are in fire fighting vehicles, usually wrapped haul to haul, able to be transported and assembled, and these are of low pressure.

In the first picture, a high pressure hose (Semi Rigid, 32mm) and the second photo the first hose from the right is also of high pressure but is a flexible hose 25mm.

In the second photo, the other hoses are flexible and the measures of them are 45mm and 70mm.

Elsewhere in Europe, the measures may vary slightly.

Comment by Lou Angeli on August 5, 2010 at 4:43pm: Wow, that fire took off in no time. The woman in the early part of the film is speaking Italian however the insignia on the pumper and the turnout gear indicate that the department is in Spain, probably in a remote area. In rural Spain, Italy and France, a single engine is dispatched to structure fires, and the crew radios for assistance if the need it. (These guys need it!) Also, as in all of Europe, the attack line is a high-pressure booster line. The donut rolls are being rolled toward a hydrant to establish a water supply from a yard hydrant. This video is about 10 years old, when only "smoke divers", who were responsible for victim rescue, wore breathing apparatus. Place yourself in this video, how would your department handle it?

Comment by Capt./Chaplain Mike Petrosky on August 5, 2010 at 3:47pm: This is really sad. No real command presense, no apparent accountability, nobody with any type of tools in their hands, did they follow sop/sog's-really don't know what they have in place. Limited manpower and apparatus. PPE is very scarce, no SCBA till later in the video. I really dislike armchair QBing, but this is really alarming to watch, just thankful that everyone went home at the end of the tour.

Comment by Márcio Teixeira on August 5, 2010 at 2:10pm: this video must have some years...maybe 10 years, they are Spanish.

Comment by Otakar Lukac on August 5, 2010 at 1:56pm: Looks like this is not in Italy, the word "Bombers" is from Catalunya in Spain, anyhow lots of mistakes since the beginning, no proper procedures, no back up, no nothing.
I feel sorry for them.
At the end looks like the civilians take over the fire on a defensive mode.
Perhaps they are from a little tiny town in the countryside, volunteers?
It would be an excellent piece of material to teach what NOT to do.