Here’s a set-up you don’t run into much. We were unable to get inside and really evaluate this building. Apparently they built like this because they thought it looked good? The front door is on the left side of the first picture in the build out on side B (A/B corner.) The only other entrance or exit is the rear sliding glass door on the C/D corner. There is a garage in the A/D corner. If anyone can elaborate on this style of building please do. From the looks of it, the guy who built this was a roofer.

Our friends over at firevideo.net recently posted this excellent video of the Vent Enter Search (VES) tactic. When utilizing the VES tactic a very important decision always has to be made, you have to ask yourself “is it worth it… is that a survivable room?” This question applies for the unprotected victims we are trying to rescue and to the firefighter’s performing the search.

The outside team (or who ever is going to perform VES) needs to perform a VES size-up. When sizing up the building to determine what windows you are going to VES you need to evaluate where the fire has been, where the fire is now, and were the fire is going next. This VES size-up allows you to determine the priority of windows to VES. Another thing this VES size-up will do is allow you to determine what rooms (if any) are not worth entering at this time. Sometimes difficult decisions have to be made.

When performed correctly, VES is an extremely effective tactic to remove trapped victims.

**** Please be sure to read the comment below from Rick Van Sant made on November 22nd. He is the guy in the video, and his first hand description of the event should be read prior to making any comments ****

Firefighter Ryan Gilbert from Bellingham (WA) sent in this method of cutting an overhead or garage door. The nice thing about this particular cut is that it will work on many different types of doors. For instance, many roll-up doors are riveted or pinned on either side near the track, so the one-cut method doesn’t always work. It will also work relatively quickly on the residential door as shown in the video.

Some call this the “Inverted L”, however, they refer to it as the “West Coast Cut”, since it was originally taught to them by some LA City brothers. Call it what ever you’d like, it’s simply another option to open a roll up door. Ryan points out that one of the benefits they enjoy about this particular method is the ability to control the airflow if for some reason that ability is needed.

FF Ryan Cox from Lacey (WA) Station 31 sent in an interesting write-up of a situation they recently ran into. It involves a 700lb man, a 2nd floor Jacuzzi, and some imagination. Ryan’s full description of the event is listed below as the first comment to this post, it’s a long read, but well worth it.

It may not have been how everyone would have handled it, but that doesn’t make it wrong. Remember, the most important part of the story is that it worked for them…

Lieutenant Doug Mullford from Lisle-Woodridge (IL) send in a slight modification to the DCFD RIT mask spoke about here a few weeks ago.

They took the piece of hose and placed inside the webbing of the mask. The reasoning was they felt you could get a better grip on the webbing, and better be able to verify when the mask and webbing were properly seated. Lieutenant Mullford also points out that this medication eliminates the need to do any sewing. It’s simply another rendition of the outstanding idea originally presented by our DCFD brothers.

Loundon County (VA) Fire released its comprehensive investigative report on the Medowood Court fire that occurred on May 25, 2008. This fire resulted in seven of their members receiving injuries, four of which received significant burns. Chief Pozzo and Loudon County Fire should be commended for doing such an extensive review, and allowing the fire service to learn from this incident.
Click here for the video

Click here for the 210 page report