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Emergency Fire Department Bailout Procedures
Not wanting to reinvent the wheel... Recent discussions revealed an emergency bailout procedure that was reported to be less than perfect. While I am familiar with the procedure, I cannot say that I have ever received any formal training on the subject.
So here's my request for this post, first off, check out this photo, taken from a video posted by a firefighter wearing a helmet cam. You can also see the video at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX0OWCPdA4E
He was able to capture one of his firefighters making an emergency (head-first) descent down a ladder that was just placed below a window prior to the firefighter exiting the structures second story.
Many of you have had access to this training and some of you might actually be trainers. Understanding that this is a global site, with many departments reading these posts to learn something new, I am kind of fishing here for folks to step up and share you thoughts on how to do this operation correctly and safely.
I for one look forward to learning something new.
TCSS,
CBz
As predicted, some of the veteran firefighters here stepped up to the plate and shared some excellent training resources. For those who have not yet contributed, please do.
From : RIT Skills - Ladder Bailout
Note: FTC's link takes you to the Medford Fire Department who has a ton of what appears to be very professionally done training videos that can be downloaded, just like the one above. This is an excellent online training resource for firefighters to use and learn from.
From : Firefighter Window Bailout Technique
Note: This video is a no frills quick view of the ladder bailout process.
From : Here is what is taught here in NY in the Firefighter Survival Course (with comments from Chief Waller).
From : The below ladder bailout process assumes that the ladder is already in place, with the tip correctly located immediately below the window sill, the ladder at a shallow angle for the bailout, and properly heeled.
Head First Ladder Exit
Objective:
The firefighter exits a window onto a portable ladder, head first down the ladder to escape a hostile environment.
Method:
- The firefighter, with no other way out of a room, exits the room through a window to which a fire department ladder has been properly positioned.
- The firefighter must quickly find the window and ladder, rapidly crawl over the window sill and continue down the ladder, head first until his/her feet or toes hit the top ladder rung.
- Then grasp the ladder with the right arm, move their left hand to the right side, and rotate, across the beam, to a standing position.
- This secondary maneuver allows for a safe descent down the remaining rungs to the ground as well as clearing the top of the ladders for an additional firefighter to exit.
Application:
• The firefighter locates a second floor window..
• Due to the extreme heat conditions the firefighter must remain low and cannot stand up
high enough to turn around and descend the ladder in the conventional manner, i.e. feet
first.
• The firefighter vaults over the window sill onto the ladder.
• Pulls himself/herself onto the ladder rapidly, one rung at time.
• Once their feet hit the top rung of the ladder the firefighter is safe, and stops.
• Grasps the ladder beam* with the right hand/arm, sliding the left hand over to the right.
• Using the left arm as the pivot point, rotate their body across the ladder beam to a
standing position
• Due to the extreme heat conditions the firefighter must remain low and cannot stand up
high enough to turn around and descend the ladder in the conventional manner, i.e. feet
first.
• The firefighter vaults over the window sill onto the ladder.
• Pulls himself/herself onto the ladder rapidly, one rung at time.
• Once their feet hit the top rung of the ladder the firefighter is safe, and stops.
• Grasps the ladder beam* with the right hand/arm, sliding the left hand over to the right.
• Using the left arm as the pivot point, rotate their body across the ladder beam to a
standing position
NOTE: *Under Grasps the ladder beam.... The right hand is brought back to the rung closest to the hip and the rung is grabed palm up. You then slide the left hand over to the right. If you are left handed, you can simply reverse what hand you place by your hip, you will just swing around the other way.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by FETC on
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CBz,
We should not confuse Rapid Intervention Team Skills with Firefighter Self Survival Skills. Youtube has tons of video on this subject matter, and note window bail outs, via a ground ladder, rope, webbing, descending devices or even a simple hose slide are Firefighter Self Rescue Techniques and not Rapid Intervention Team Skills.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdNA6AnDvUw&feature=related
FETC
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Permalink Reply by Firegal77 on
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It is a complicated procedure to explain in words! but here goes... Head first out the window, grab the top rung with one hand, then with the other hand, reach over the top rung, behind the second rung and grasp the third rung with your thumb facing out(away from the building), then you proceed out the window letting go with your first hand and reach down to the rung below where you are grabbing, using your two hands to swivel your weight around towards the lower hand, then reach across the ladder to the opposite rail and grab on with your thumb towards the top of the ladder, in this manner when your legs come out, then your body swings like a pendulum and you do not twist off your arm! It is not a very graceful technique, but in an emergency it may be your best shot if for some reason you cannot go out feet first(my personal preference)...here is a video I looked up to illustrate the technique. You should not practice this without the proper safeties in place and without the supervision of an experienced member on the fire department that can guide you! :o)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLDgYcNLviQ
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Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on
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I prefere the bail out in the top picture Safe-ish!
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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My only reason for even bringing up the RIT team was because some folks had made entry. And again, shame on me assuming that because of the number of guys standing around, I assumed at first this was a training burn. It wasn't until I heard the Chief yell to throw a ladder that I realized this was a real incident. Luckily, the guy survived but not all that graceful...
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I showed my young firefighters this once. Slide down the ladder on my belly head first just holding on to the side rails. Use your toes to catch the rungs to slow you down. Fun stuff.
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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There is a lot wrong with the procedures shown in this video.
The obvious - the fire is clearly visible through the Side A windows on the 1st floor. No one attacks that fire the entire time, as far as you can tell.
The fire is not ventilated, despite the large number of firefighter yard-standers.
The choice to put a firefighter through the smallish 2nd floor windows from a porch roof and via ladders with an uncontrolled 1st floor fire is questionable at best.
The fire later autovents on the 1st floor and continues to free-burn, indicating a lack of fire suppression on floor 1.
There was one - count it, one - ladder thrown. It had to be moved for the bailout. It seems that the yard-standers could have thrown more ladders.
The ladder placement for the bailout was all wrong. It should have been extended, placed laterally to the windowsill, then moved laterally to the firefighter. That would have lessened the chances of the fall by way of a properly-placed, shallow-angle bailout ladder.
Once the firefighter fell, he was not in immediate danger, yet everyone panicked, grabbed him like a sack of potatos, and ran through the yard. They tripped and fell, dropping him at least once. The rough movement and dropping the FF can't be good for his injuries.
The Mayday was late, and the chiefs didn't know if they had another FF inside or not. That doesn't say great things about their accountability system.
The FF with the helmet cam was spitting out directions that couldn't be understood, because they were muffled by his SCBA mask. He was outside the entire time. If you're going to give orders from the outside, leave the mask off so there's a chance that you can be understood, especially with the huffing and puffing that was going on from the exertion.
Sound basic tactics would have prevented this situation.
Good horizontal ventilation and actual water on the fire on floor 1 would have prevented this situation.
Good multiple ladder placement would have prevented or lessened the severity of this situation.
Good ladder placement for the bailout would have prevented or lessened the severity of this situation.
A RIT team ready with - among other things - an extension ladder - would have created a dedicated crew to respond to the firefighter in the window. The other extension ladder would never have been needed if this were the case.
There didn't seem to be a fixed command post, a strong chain of command, or anyone in charge of managing the Mayday.
This is a training video, but probably not in the way that the FF who posted it intended.
I'm glad the brother wasn't more seriously injured, but this incident was completely preventable.
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RIT is required for training burns, too. Either way, it didn't appear that they had one, or if the yard-standers were RIT, they were not equipped or prepared for the emergency.
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Permalink Reply by Marvin Hawk on
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Here is what is taught here in NY in the Firefighter Survival Course.
Tactic #7 - Head First Ladder Exit
'
Objective - The firefighter exits a window onto a portable ladder, head first down the ladder to escape a hostile environment.
Method - The firefighter, with no other way out of a room, exits the room through a window to which a fire department ladder has been properly positioned. The firefighter must quickly find the window and ladder, rapidly crawl over the window sill and continue down the ladder, head first until his/her feet or toes hit the top ladder rung. Then grasp the ladder with the right arm, move their left hand to the right side, and rotate, across the beam, to a standing position. This secondary maneuver allows for a safe descent down the remaining rungs to the ground as well as clearing the top of the ladders for an additional firefighter to exit.
• The firefighter locates a second floor window..
• Due to the extreme heat conditions the firefighter must remain low and cannot stand up
high enough to turn around and descend the ladder in the conventional manner, i.e. feet
first.
• The firefighter vaults over the window sill onto the ladder.
• Pulls himself/herself onto the ladder rapidly, one rung at time.
• Once their feet hit the top rung of the ladder the firefighter is safe, and stops.
• Grasps the ladder beam with the right hand/arm, sliding the left hand over to the right.
• Using the left arm as the pivot point, rotate their body across the ladder beam to a
standing position
NOTE: Under Grasps the ladder beam ....the right hand is brought back to the rung closest to the hip and the rung is grabed palm up. then slide the left hand over to the right. for you south paws out there you can simply reverse what hand you place by your hip, you will just swing around the other way. Having done this in a real life situation I can attest to the fact that it does work. It beats an E ticket ride at Disney any day when done right.
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penrhyn,
That assumes that the ladder is already in place, with the tip correctly located immediately below the window sill, the ladder at a shallow angle for the bailout, and properly heeled. None of the above were in place in the video.
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Ben, Penrhyn, and FETC: Thanks so much for your comments and training links. This discussion has been updated to reflect the training links for those wanting to know more about this procedure. I welcome everyone to take a moment and read the narrative component. Please let me know what can be added or deleted to make the training information current for those using this discussion as a reference source.
My best, CBz
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Permalink Reply by Daniel J. Graham on
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About a year late to the discussion, but I think you have really hit the nail on the head. Where the hell was the engine company? And why are we on the floor ABOVE the fire with no water? It seems like just an absolute lack of basic firefighting skills, from the command level down. For all those points you illustrated. I certainly can understand the adrenaline-fueled "truckie's-gonna-save-the-world" mentality, but it's unsafe, and impractical. And every aspect of that showed here. I'm glad he wasn't hurt badly.
If you put the fire out, you don't have to jump out the window. - John Salka, FDNY Battalion Chief
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