Mark J. Cotter's Blog (82)

When considering the need to modify traditional tactics that many believe still work quite well, thank you very much, it’s important to think back on the reasons behind the new recommendations.  The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) became involved in our business at the request of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in the process of the latter’s investigation of firefighter Line of Duty Deaths (LODDs).   When some fatal events could not be…

Continuing resistance to the idea of applying water to a structure fire from the exterior comes from those who believe that a fire attack via an interior route is inherently better.  It's not.  We all used to think so, and it was the approach taught and practiced for decades, but now we know better.  The NIST and UL studies have shown that flowing water into a compartment containing fire only makes things better, making the most direct route to the fire the best choice.  

I was once a…

Steam is both the firefighter’s enemy and ally.  It can burn us by penetrating anything that does not have a moisture barrier, such as our hoods, or by entering any gaps in our gear that expose skin.  There is even research ongoing at NIST to determine if it can get past intact PPE, or be formed when our sweat vaporizes (http://www.nist.gov/pml/div685/grp01/firefighters-steam-burns-20150427.cfm).  On the…

Some critics of the SLICE-RS approach point to what they see as its lack of emphasis on rescue, as well as its perceived over-emphasis on firefighter safety to the detriment of civilian victims.  Initial drafts of my enthusiastic arguments to the contrary consisted of a comprehensive review of the entire process of search and rescue, including rationales, priorities, methods, and a myriad of other considerations.  My treatise on this topic was beginning to approach the size of a decent…

In case any of you have missed my preaching on the benefits to the fire service of Modern Fire Attack (MFA) knowledge and methods over the past few weeks, my excuse is that my writing efforts have instead lately been directed toward fire safety in my own community.  

http://www.delmarvanow.com/story/opinion/2015/11/09/editorial-sprinkler-mandate/75463156/

The State of…

My first test as an incident commander, occurring some 30 years ago, was a room-and-contents fire in a two-story dwelling situated on a corner.  Adding to the pressure was that this was the first structure fire our department had fought since the retirement of our prior Chief of 25 years.  Flames were showing out of a picture window in the rear of the home upon our arrival, and firefighters stretched a hoseline to the location of the flames as I did my walk-around.  I ordered them to not…

The “C” in SLICE-RS, representing the tactic of “Cooling from a safe location”, seems to remain the primary stumbling block for many current firefighters when presented with this practical application of the fire dynamics research findings.  Every other step in this “new” strategy, from Size-Up to Salvage, was already standard practice for most of us, with much of the innovation being how they were emphasized (see MFA #11:SLICE-RS and Flow Paths and Change, Oh My! at…

Periodically, the fire service blogosphere will feature a rant from one of us about such topics as the need to keep rescue as our primary function, face risks bravely, and/or generally uphold the traditional values of our calling.  These essays are usually wide-ranging, passionate, and very popular.  I also typically find myself agreeing with much of the sentiments that the writers are conveying, as I suspect most other readers do, even those messages that begin with some version of the…

The principles of modern fire attack (MFA) arose from the findings of the equally modern fire dynamics research.  Many have rightly asked why we should abandon tactics developed over many decades, built upon the experiences of thousands of firefighters at hundreds of thousands of structure fires, practiced by many to perfection, and embedded in fire service training, literature, and even culture, just because of contrary information gathered from maybe a hundred fires set in laboratories? …

It's certainly an interesting time for the American fire service as we continue to learn more about our ancient enemy and adjust our tactics to best accomplish its control.  "Revolutionary" is not an inaccurate term for the degree of changes that are being proposed for the fire suppression aspect of our mission.  Depending upon which side of this revolution you currently stand, you may find yourself pushing for those innovations, or having them pushed upon you.  Some even push back.  Despite…

Good news: any guilt we feel about our collective hesitancy to modify our tactics can instead be laid upon our ancestors!  Well, not technically, since you can’t inherit stubbornness.  Still, even if we aren’t actually related to those who preceded us in this great endeavor, like them, we continue to face new challenges and debate the best solutions.  As with many walks of life, taking a look at our history can sometimes provide insight regarding current conditions, and at times help to…

The International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI) today posted a new video summary of the Principles of Modern Fire Attack: SLICE-RS method of fire suppression at 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLLoaO4uEI11OsyF7SY7WEZjAorZhraQs  

Created with funding from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG), this update to its…

Sometimes we need to seek out opinions from others in order to ensure the validity of our own, and that is not a natural or even comfortable process.  In fact, it seems someone is always trying to tell us how to live our lives or do our jobs, providing advice we didn’t seek out, or explaining their view of our world.  Still, it is often only with the assistance of outside eyes that we can truly see ourselves. 

How many times have you been asked by a…

I used the term “Vertical Vandalism” as the title of my most recent post 

(http://community.fireengineering.com/profiles/blog/show?xg_source=activity&id=1219672%3ABlogPost%3A620250), leading some to believe that I was suggesting we abandon that tactic.  In fact, my specific wording was that we could stop “routinely” creating damage in the pursuit of increased…

As we continue to discuss and explore modern fire attack (MFA) methods, I thought it was time to start talking about what may be the greatest tactical change: we can stop routinely cutting holes in roofs and breaking windows of burning buildings!  (And by "greatest" I mean the one offering the most benefits and challenges.)  Now, you can read all of the recent fire dynamics research reports and analyses yourself and never find that recommendation, but I see it as a logical and…

I borrowed the title of this blog from the late Tom Brennan, FDNY Captain, Waterbury (CT) Fire Chief, Fire Engineering Editor, and firefighting sage extraordinaire, but I take full responsibility for the example.  Tommy’s “Random Thoughts” column in the March 1996 issue of Fire Engineering railed against the use of phrases such as "Be Advised", because of uselessness; and “Heavy Fire Condition”, because of imprecision.  He related his frustration with persons who would describe a a building…

Here's the direct link to Jones & Bartlett's "Evidence-Based Practices for Strategic and Tactical Firefighting" that I referenced in my latest blog, MFA #5 - Keeping Up to Date - Where to look when the textbooks are wrong: 

http://samples.jbpub.com/9781284084108/9781284084108_Secured.pdf

That publisher today allowed me to post this link to a free download of this supplement, a testimony to their…

New information regarding both fire behavior and making fire behave (AKA firefighting) is coming out faster than it can be delivered to the end user: firefighters.  This is due to both the tremendous volume of data and interpretations thereof, as well as the limitations on the ability to effectively process, catalog, and communicate - that is, teach - the new concepts and approaches resulting from the research.  Sorting through the reams of findings already published on the subject of fire…

Simplistic as these statements are, most of the recommended tactical changes that have resulted from the fire dynamics research are ultimately related to those two general findings.  They summarize the reality of the effects of our primary fire control tactics.  Certainly, the implementation of these “rules” will be situation-specific and in no way as cut and dried as such a short list suggests, but they do represent the themes, so to speak, of how the approach to structure fire control is…

Our collective foundation has been shaken.  Beliefs that have guided firefighters at countless incidents for many decades have been proven incorrect, and the actions based upon them potentially hazardous.  Many of the teachings regarding structural firefighting tactics now require review and revision, and even venerable firefighting texts will need to be rewritten.  Whether you agree or disagree with how the fire dynamics research findings are being implemented, and the final version has…