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SCBA on the Roof?
Below are a series of photos courtesy "FirehouseGuy" from theWatchDesk.com from a daytime house fire last week in Maryland.
These photos are circulating around the Web on sites such as Firefighter Close Calls on the aspect of firefighter safety ... with the site noting "No one hurt but good pictures from the scene drawing "THINK" attention to PPE, SCBA and roof operations. While we love roof operations when needed, we are don't love un-needed exposure to the smoke -- today's smoke is some nasty crap.....we need to THINK. 1000 active Firefighters die each year to cancer."
What are your thoughts and your department's SOPs for firefighters operating on the roof of structure firefighters?
These photos are circulating around the Web on sites such as Firefighter Close Calls on the aspect of firefighter safety ... with the site noting "No one hurt but good pictures from the scene drawing "THINK" attention to PPE, SCBA and roof operations. While we love roof operations when needed, we are don't love un-needed exposure to the smoke -- today's smoke is some nasty crap.....we need to THINK. 1000 active Firefighters die each year to cancer."
What are your thoughts and your department's SOPs for firefighters operating on the roof of structure firefighters?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Joe Rocket on
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any one that close to the fire should have an scba
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Permalink Reply by Sam S. on
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My first thought on seeing these pictures was, well Im sure I cant use the exact language here but it followed the lines of WHAT THE @#%$ ARE THEY THINKING?!?!?! Seeing pictures like this just really upset me, with all the training out there and talk of firefighter safety we still see things like this happening everyday. The question was regarding SCBA during roof ops and my answer is YES you should have one on. After all if your on the roof your there to do what? Let the SMOKE and HEAT out, once you cut that hole its all going to be right there in your face! The better question for this series of pictures should have been "When is going on the roof not a good idea" and you could have used these pics as a perfect example of when it is not! We in the fire service need to stop killing ourselves with stupidity and start being smarter about our jobs, there are times the risk definately outweighs the benefit, we need to realize those times and stop putting ourselves in harms way for no good reason at all. This job is dangerous enough without leaving our brains back on the gear rack at the station.
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I wasnt going to reply but I have to. How is saving your lungs "wasting air"?? As mentioned above if this firefighter were to fall through the already weak looking roof into the house and happens to get knocked unconcious or looses his mask hanging by his hip in the fall, what good is the air he "saved"?? If your on the roof you need to have your SCBA on and breathing the air. The air is easily replaced your life is not. Im just really suprised that an officer of any rank would take the attitude of "wasting air" that just sets a horrible example to the rest of the guys on the dept and is a reason we still keep loosing brothers to things we can easily prevent.
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After I looked at the pics a bit longer I did notice the two guys standing in the driveway out of the smoke not only wearing theyre SCBA but also BREATHING AIR!! They had that right I guess.
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Permalink Reply by Sam on
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Maybe this department is just so under trained they dont know any better. I know of at least one department in our area that does not train and our chief refuses to call them for mutal aid. I am not saying what he is doing is ok because I agree with everybody he has no reson to be on the roof. Just saying that if somebody out there does not know any better then this is what we will see and the LODD will continue to grow. I would think common sense alone would have told him not to do what he is doing. Also dont get me wrong I am not defending this department and lack of training is no excuse.
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Permalink Reply by Rick Westerman on
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Anywhere a firefighter is at risk of being lost or trapped by the environment, or working in the hot zone must have all his/her PPE in place. I wonder what the two white helmet wearers where thinking as one under their command was working in an IDLH without all of their gear on. With all the safety stuff out there and all the LODD post read here, I can't believe these firefighters still push the safety envelope. Destined to be read about here one day as a potential injury or a LODD, don't be stupid with your safety, someone who loves you wants you to come home safe. Put it on folks, it works.
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Permalink Reply by modfireman on
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Truckies wear your mask!
I have always been an advocate of wearing your SCBA (on air) while on a roof. You are there to cut a hole and let the smoke and heat out. Do you think the smoke will wait until you are done with the hole before coming out? You will become engulfed in smoke before you finish the hole, this is not the time to stop and don your gear. Do it before you ever begin. I recently was privileged to an added benefit; the unthinkable happened. While preparing to vent a roof we had a catastrophic failure of the roof structure. The mask you see my grandson wearing (profile picture) saved my life.
Truckies, PLEASE wear your mask!
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Permalink Reply by John C. Querin Sr on
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I am from a small town volunteer department and there is no way any of us would put ourselves in that type of risk situation. Even first truck out has one guy getting packed up in route or as soon as they are on scene. Of course our police may get a little excited and run in with no PPE but we take an extra minute to get geared up to pull them out.
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Permalink Reply by Raymond Herington on
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Thank You, this VOLLIE stuff is stupid. I can take my certification and apply at any full time fire and pass their acadamy. My certs are the same certs the full timers get in my state. I take the same test by the same proctors they do. Just because your paid by a union makes no difference in my book. Anybody can answer this question, yes scba any where near the structure.
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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In our Department all roof operations are done in FULL PPE to include airpacks......no ifs ands or butts (spelled correctly)....and again...once the roof is vented you get your ass off the roof......report to the IC/safety Officer...Let them know your mission has been accomplished and get assigned another job........
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Permalink Reply by David C. Tague on
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First of all not all states are NFPA states. They are guidelines up here in Indiana not to say we dont follow them as closely as possible. Secondly it seems that by the pictures and the color of the smoke it seems like they have the fire most of the way knocked down. I would be more worried about the house side of the structure. Go defensive? He should have an SCBA on end of story.
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People think of LODD when they see this picture. Why isnt there more emphasis on cardio workouts, or driving more safely. It seems to me thats what is killing most of our brother firefighters.
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