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Illinois Department Criticized In NIOSH LODD Report
JOHN K. RYAN
Chicago Sun Times
The Homewood Fire Department was taken to task in a report on how it handled a fire that cost the lives of a firefighter and an elderly resident.
NIOSH Report
Career Firefighter/Paramedic Dies in Flashover
(Photo courtesy of Warren Skalski.)
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The report from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health looked into factors leading to the death of Homewood firefighter-paramedic Brian Carey, 28, during a house fire March 30.
The report concludes the commanding officer and crew that responded to the scene didn't follow some key guidelines for fighting fires. Among the report's findings:
- The commander on the scene, Homewood fire Lt. Scott Moran, did not do a complete assessment of the fire scene before crews were sent into the burning home.
- Poor tactical decisions were made on how to try to extinguish the fire, including sending Carey and fellow firefighters Karra Kopas and Chris Kieta into the building with a hose that was too big to maneuver within the house.
- Firefighters did not stay within visual, physical or vocal contact with each other at all times while fighting the fire. Firefighters inside lost contact with Carey during the fire, and while he was equipped with a handheld radio, it was found in the back pocket of his pants under his firefighting gear, making it inaccessible.
- Moran and crew members outside the home didn't recognize signs of the deteriorating situation and order firefighters out of the building. Thick, black and heavily pressurized smoke billowing from windows on one side of the Homewood house should have warned those outside that a flashover soon could occur.
- The department didn't have adequate staffing to fight the fire. Homewood Fire Chief Bob Grabowski declined comment on the report.
Copyright 2010 Sun-Times Media, LLC
All Rights Reserved
September 21, 2010
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Fabulous Heather Days of Summer on
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I DO A LOT OF HOMEWORK - I am tired today. [Crabbe sent me a 136 pg report to read already today]
I liked the short concise version. THANK YOU !
You don't have to answer - ever - if it is too much for you...
you know you like to discuss it...
+ you add commentary which is much more valuable than even the report...
and you even like to correct me when I wander a stray ;-)
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I too have been to WAAAAAYYYY TOOOO MANY LODD funerals. Can't you hear it in my tone on many of my posts of late. We had one in my neighorhood this week !!!
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Permalink Reply by Vic Silverfish on
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Heather - No, it was more like "the baby is crying and I think I saw what you need but don't have time to find it myself right now!"
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aaaahhhhh you were taking care of the baby - ahhhhh you're a good man
and like Ben - you can tell me to do my own homework if you want
;-)
but i like your commentary as well
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Permalink Reply by Mike Kilburg on
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The Chicagoland news outlets have taken this NIOSH report and run with it. I am not going to say anything except to put yourselves in these firefighters boots... You pull up to a well -involved fire with an elderly woman, the police, and neighbors screaming there is a man trapped inside. It is easy to lob shots when the smoke and heat clears. I am not defending anyone here. I have a little more knowledge about this particular incident and the reporting that was done regarding the NIOSH report (note I dont say the report itself) has opened up some pretty raw wounds that were begining to heal. PLEASE keep those who were involved in your thoughts. they need prayers too.
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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
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Mike:
I remember that, right after it happened, Carey's father talked about Brian's love for the job and he had nothing but good things to say about the fire department.
But, with the newspaper revelations (some right, some wrong, some slanted), I am sure that it is mixing the family emotions.
I want to look at the NIOSH report more thoroughly to get the answers to my questions.
If there is another report out there that may shed better light, I would like to see it as well.
I realize that this was in your back yard.
And I am also a proud Illinois boy.
I would ask that anyone responding to this discussion do so in a respectful manner.
TCSS.
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I am sorry for your loss. We mean no disrespect in our exploring and discussing this situation. Yes, he was trying to save a life and that is to be respected !!!
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Permalink Reply by Mark Oomkes on
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That's one of the things that bothers me about these reports. I fully realize and understand that they are necessary, if only for us to read and (hopefully) learn from to prevent further deaths or injuries.
But they are always done in hindsight. If Carey hadn't died, there wouldn't be a report. Everything may have been exactly the same (done wrong??) but because there wasn't a LODD no report from NIOSH.
They have the time and luxury of looking over everything that happened without the adrenaline, without the urgency and knowing the final outcome.
Prayers to the survivors that they can continue to heal, I can only imagine how they feel about what happened and their guilt. I know I would never stop questioning my actions if it happened to me.
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That is a good point - perhaps an analysis of each scene should be done by outsiders ?
I know that all the firefighters I know work very hard to be at the top of their game and be professional at their job constantly learning and analyzing and adjusting. I don't really know slacker firefighters. They all take great pride in their craft and really do value the new knowledge.
Thank you for taking the time to talk about such as sensitive issue - again, I am so sorry for your loss.
hmmm.... i wonder what the future will hold
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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But they are always done in hindsight. If Carey hadn't died, there wouldn't be a report. Everything may have been exactly the same (done wrong??) but because there wasn't a LODD no report from NIOSH
That is a good point - perhaps an analysis of each scene should be done by outsiders ?
Majority of depts I know of will do a Post Incident Analysis (PIA) of every fire. The PIA is is conducted by the crews who were there and to learn from the reports. For us after a PIA, the report is given to the other crews to learn from. There has never been a PIA that didn't have something to be learned.
The issue with having outsiders though, creates a Monday morning QB situation. It is easy to critique, even knowning the SOG's, procedures, training, time to think, in a quiet environment. It still boils down to that the outsiders were not there to truly understand the situation at hand. Now most PIA's I've been in see those who were there, critiquing themselves quite hard, learning from the mistakes and so forth. There have been many which did get heated, but at least the people involved DID have a chance to speak.
In cases like this, a LODD or injury, you do see an outside entity come in. The investigation is done, looking at everything from on scene reports, interviews with companies, radio communications, training records, SOG/P's and so forth. The reports are released so that other depts can learn from them....this is how training has come about for many things, this is why things like 2 in 2 out were created, this is why turnout gear improved, why radios etc have improved, why tactics and techniques have changed and so forth.....to prevent another similar outcome. The issue with reports shouldn't be about the criticizing, but to look at your own dept, your own training, your own self, and ask how you can learn from it.
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Questions need to be asked.
Comments and opinions can be given.
And it can be done without disrespecting the fire department and the fallen firefighter.
Any report that comes out after the incident and that is usually when they do are hindsightful.
That's a fact.
But it is done in this manner to educate those who weren't there.
I'm for open discussion on these LODDs.
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John and Art, both excellent points.
I don't think I explained myself as well as I should have.
I am not trying to be negative about the reports, just that sometimes it is hard on the survivors as I think it would with me.
I read through a lot of them as well to see what I can learn, because I do know that I don't know very much, in reality.
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