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Garden Apartment Search Blog

I would like to continue with the search blogs. As a reminder, I will post a video of the fire scene and provide some basic information. I would hope you would respond to the blog by commenting at the bottom of the page. If you are a little timid, (you’re probably not a “B” shifter) at least think about the situation and figure out what you would do if you were assigned search at that fire.

This fire occurs in a three story garden type apartment. One level is mostly below grade and two more are above grade. The construction is wood platform with brick veneer. See the floor plan.

The fire occurs at 06:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning. The apartment is located near the town’s college. You are riding the apparatus you normally ride and are in the front right seat. Staffing is your departments normal staffing. Your crew is assigned search.

The first crew on the scene has stretched a 1 3/4” line into the front door of the section involved in fire.

Here is the link to the video:

http://youtu.be/k8TnHbqhEwY

After viewing the video, answer the following:

Where would you enter the building?
Where would you start your search?
What type of search would you do?
If you locate a victim (assume an adult male victim), will your entire crew remove the victim or would you split your crew at that point?
With no other crew’s on-scene, would those that removed the victim, leave the victim and return to continue on with the search or would they be instructed to remain with the victim?

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Comment by Skip Coleman on September 24, 2014 at 9:50am: Got it!

Comment by Justin Renner on September 24, 2014 at 9:08am: Clarification on that comment Sir, we do not carry those tags in our pockets nor do I think we should. What I was refering to was, we would make a judgement call as to whether we would stay and provide care to victim 1 or whether we would forgo immediate care and return to complete our primary search. Fire conditions, type of occupancy, time of day, patient condition, so on and so forth would determine this tactic but, as for the MCI triage it is a mental checklist not accual MCI tags. If that all makes sence, I re-read what I wrote and see the confusion.

Comment by Skip Coleman on September 23, 2014 at 4:56pm: Good plan. Good thoughts. Concerned about the MCI tags. Never saw one in Toledo. Not to say they are not good or useful but would the every day Joe or Joyce on an engine carry them? Just askin.

Comment by Justin Renner on September 21, 2014 at 5:22pm: The main body of fire appears to be in unit 4 of the below grade living room. As with most situation our entry point would be the front common entrance. If fire conditions restrict this entrance then VEIS through bedroom window will be a plan "B". An Oriented search with a three person crew would move quickly passed the attack team and move straight to the bedrooms. With the officer staged outside the bedroom, two FF would split up and search bedroom 1 and 2. Officer could search bathroom and a Hasty TIC search could be done of the kitchen and living room on the way in and out. From this unit our search would continue to above floors. Unit 4 on the 2nd and 3rd floor would be our primary concern due to visible smoke from windows and possible auto-exposure. Lack of smoke on the "B" side units is likely due to closed doors. With all units cleared or sheltered in place units on the "D" side of 3 and 4 would be checked next. When transitioning from floor to floor both stairwells need to be checked for evacuating persons overcome on their way out. With a victim found all three members would assist in removal. It is prefered that the victim would be turned over to another company or EMS unit and that search team would continue their search from the point in which they stopped. However, units on scene and air left in tanks would determine these tactics. with no crews on scene a "black, red, yellow, green" MCI triage would be used to determine if we stay or go. Glad to see these blogs return.

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