Lessons from the Fireground: Operational Safety on Fire Escapes

Lessons from the Fireground: Operational Safety on Fire Escapes

Make some time today to read the from NIOSH Report F2010-25 related to operations from fire escapes.

Get your company out into the streets today or this evening and take a look at some of your buildings and the material condition of existing building features and fire escape platforms, connections, counterweights, drop ladders, treads etc.

Discuss with your company or station the various conditions to look for both during day and night operations while accessing , traversing and operating on and during times in which smoke conditions may obscure critical safety conditions and impact operational integrity. Age, deterioration, weather, maintenance, operability, vandalism and other factors affect operations and use of fire escapes.

Think about live and dead loading considerations; from the number of operating personnel to the number of charged hose lines on the platform, steps, over rails as well as civilians being aided.

Lots to discuss, learn and share; all at the same time taking pause with remembrance and honor for Firefighter Christopher D. Wheatley, Chicago Fire Department (IL)

More at  Firegroundleadership.com

http://www.firegroundleadership.com/2016/08/09/operational-safety-on-fire-escapes/

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/pdfs/face201025.pdf