The First 1,000 (and Change) Rescues: Just The Numbers

        The goal of Firefighter Rescue Survey (FirefighterRescueSurvey.com or check us out on Facebook) is to gather as much information as possible from actual rescues in the hopes of making us all more effective and efficient on our firegrounds. By collecting data from firefighters who have been in the exact situation that most of us spend a career preparing for, we hope to provide firefighters from around the globe a better chance to save a life. We have recently analyzed the data from the first 1,172 recorded rescues and we'd like to share this info with everyone.

 

        Before we get started though, here are a couple of rules for interpreting these data:

 

• We need to understand the entire context as any one specific data set is limited and has qualifications.

 

• We have been, and will continue to fine-tune the survey questions and answers in an attempt to make these data as accurate, well-defined, objective, and digestible as possible.

 

• Correlation does not always equal causation.

 

• We can’t always get an ‘ought’ from an ‘is’.

 

• More analysis is always needed.

 

• Take this data, and make it work for your department and your citizens.

 

• Lastly, if you have removed a civilian from a fire, please fill out a survey for each rescue at FirefighterRescueSurvey.com.

 

 

Time of Day v Total Recorded Rescues:

00:00 – 05:59 – 439 = 73 grabs/hour

06:00-08:59 – 125 = 42 grabs/hour

09:00-11:59 – 106 = 35 grabs/hour

12:00-16:59 – 178 = 36 grabs/hour

17:00-19:59 – 119 = 40 grabs/hour

20:00-23:59 – 179 = 45 grabs/hour

 

Victim Reports v Total Recorded Rescues:

Yes – Reports of Victims – 68% (796/1169)

No Reports – 26% (308/1169)

Report of Everyone is Out – 4% (41/1169)

Firefighter Saw/Heard Victim – 2% (24/1169)

 

Were Victim Reports Accurate (i.e. number of victims, location of victims, etc.) v Total Recorded Rescues:

Yes – 72% (498/694)

No – 28% (196/694)

N/A – 461

 

When Was Search Initiated v Total Recorded Rescues:

Pre Knockdown – 82% (945/1158)

Post Knockdown – 18% (213/1158)

Post RIT Established – 5% (18/331)

 

When Was Search Initiated v Survival Rate:

Pre Knockdown – 60% (561/938)

Post Knockdown – 34% (71/206)

Post RIT Established – 33% (6/18)

Occupancy Type v Total Recorded Rescues:

SFD – 57% (659/1165)

MFD – 35% (404/1165)

Mobile Home – 4% (44/1165)

Other – 4% (48/1165)

Commercial – 1% (10/1165)

 

Occupancy Type v Survival Rate:

SFD – 49% (317/649)

MFD – 65% (260/400)

Mobile Home – 50% (22/44)

Other – 57% (27/47)

Commercial – 70% (7/10)

 

Number of Floors Above Grade v Total Recorded Rescues:

1 Story – 46% (536/1171)

2 Stories – 36% (427/1171)

3 Stories – 14% (159/1171)

>3 Stories – 4% (49/1171)

 

Number of Floors Above Grade v Survival Rate:

1 Story – 51% (268/530)

2 Stories – 57% (242/421)

3 Stories – 55% (87/157)

>3 Stories – 85% (41/48)

 

Exterior Conditions Upon Arrival v Total Recorded Rescues:

Nothing Showing – 6% (72/1170)

Smoke Only – 28% (325/1170)

<25% - 24% (279/1170)

25-50% - 29% (338/1170)

51-75% - 10% (117/1170)

>75% - 3% (39/1170)

 

Exterior Conditions Upon Arrival v Survival Rate:

Nothing Showing – 74% (53/72)

Smoke Only – 64% (203/319)

<25% - 62% (170/275)

25-50% - 49% (162/334)

51-75% - 28% (33/116)

>75% - 38% (15/39)

 

Fire Location (Floor) v Total Recorded Rescues:

Basement – 5% (48/1063)

1st Floor – 56% (591/1063)

2nd Floor – 17% (182/1063)

3rd Floor – 3% (30/1063)

>3 – 2% (17/1063)

Multiple Floors – 17% (184/1063)

Attic – 1% (11/1063)

 

Fire Location (Floor) v Survival Rate:

Basement – 72% (34/47)

1st Floor – 51% (296/585)

2nd Floor – 63% (113/180)

3rd Floor – 86% (25/29)

>3 – 71% (12/17)

Multiple Floors – 50% (91/181)

Attic – 82% (9/11)

 

Fire Conditions Upon Entry v Total Recorded Rescues:

Incipient – 8% (94/1164)

Room and Contents – 42% (484/1164)

Multiple Rooms – 11% (126/1164)

Structure – 40% (460/1164)

 

Fire Conditions Upon Entry v Survival Rate:

Incipient – 78% (71/91)

Room and Contents – 62% (293/476)

Multiple Rooms – 48% (60/125)

Structure – 46% (210/457)

 

Visibility v Total Recorded Rescues:

High Viz – 5% (63/1153)

Moderate Viz – 21% (237/1153)

Low Viz – 37% (424/1153)

Zero Viz – 37% (429/1153)

 

Visibility v Survival Rate:

High Viz – 79% (50/63)

Moderate Viz – 70% (164/235)

Low Viz – 56% (236/418)

Zero Viz – 42% (179/423)

 

Victim Proximity to the Fire v Total Recorded Rescues:

Fire Room/Room of Origin – 31% (248/809)

Room Adjacent to Fire – 51% (412/809)

Room Isolated from Fire – 18% (149/809)

 

Victim Proximity to the Fire v Survival Rate:

Fire Room/Room of Origin – 35% (86/246)

Room Adjacent to Fire – 59% (239/404)

Room Isolated from Fire – 62% (90/146)

 

Was Victim Behind a Closed Door v Total Recorded Rescues:

Yes – 17% (48/279)

No – 83% (231/279)

Blank (not initially asked) – 894

 

Was Victim Behind a Closed Door v Survival Rate:

Yes – 77% (37/48)

No – 60% (138/230)

 

Did The Structure Appear Vacant or Abandoned v Total Recorded Rescues:

Yes – 3% (30/972)

No – 97% (942/972)

Blank (not initially asked) –201

 

Did The Structure Appear Vacant or Abandoned v Survival Rate:

Yes – 62% (18/29)

No – 57% (531/928)

 

Victim Location (Floor) v Total Recorded Rescues:

Basement – 3% (31/1163)

1^st Floor – 59% (690/1163)

2^nd Floor– 30% (353/1163)

3^rd Floor – 6% (68/1163)

>3 – 2% (21/1163)

 

Victim Location (Floor) v Survival Rate:

Basement – 60% (18/30)

1^st Floor – 51% (347/685)

2^nd Floor– 60% (208/349)

3^rd Floor – 71% (46/65)

>3 – 76% (16/21)

 

Victim Location (Room) v Total Recorded Rescues:

Bedroom – 46% (530/1143)

Family – 15% (175/1143)

Other – 13% (147/1143)

Hallway – 10% (110/1143)

Kitchen – 9% (102/1143)

Bathroom – 7% (79/1143)

 

Victim Location (Room) v Survival Rate:

Bedroom – 55% (285/522)

Family – 56% (98/174)

Other – 66% (95/143)

Hallway – 58% (64/110)

Kitchen – 42% (43/102)

Bathroom – 46% (36/79)

 

Victim Age v Total Recorded Rescues:

0-2 – 4% (44/1153)

3-5 – 4% (51/1153)

6-12 – 5% (60/1153)

13-18 – 2% (27/1153)

19-64 – 58% (663/1153)

>65 – 27% (308/1153)

 

Victim Age v Survival Rate:

0-2 – 43% (19/44)

3-5 – 51% (26/51)

6-12 – 60% (36/60)

13-18 – 69% (18/26)

19-64 – 56% (370/656)

>65 – 52% (158/305)

 

Victim Location (Room) of 0 – 2 yo v Total Recorded Rescues:

Bedroom – 71% (30/42)

Family – 14% (6/42)

Hallway – 5% (2/42)

Kitchen – 2% (1/42)

Bathroom – 7% (3/42)

 

Victim Location (Room) of 0 – 2 yo v Survival Rate:

Bedroom – 57% (17/30)

Family – 17% (1/6)

Hallway – 50% (1/2)

Kitchen – 0% (0/1)

Bathroom – 0% (0/3)

 

Victim Location (Room) of 3 – 5 yo v Total Recorded Rescues:

Bedroom – 78% (36/46)

Family – 2% (1/46)

Hallway – 4% (2/46)

Kitchen – 4% (2/46)

Bathroom – 11% (5/46)

 

Victim Location (Room) of 3 – 5 yo v Survival Rate:

Bedroom – 44% (16/36)

Family – 100% (1/1)

Hallway – 50% (1/2)

Kitchen – 50% (1/2)

Bathroom – 40% (2/5)

 

Victim Location (Room) of 6 – 12 yo v Total Recorded Rescues:

Bedroom – 71% (36/51)

Family – 8% (4/51)

Hallway – 12% (6/51)

Kitchen – 2% (1/51)

Bathroom – 8% (4/51)

 

Victim Location (Room) of 6 – 12 yo v Survival Rate:

Bedroom – 61% (22/36)

Family – 75% (3/4)

Hallway – 50% (3/6)

Kitchen – 100% (1/1)

Bathroom – 75% (3/4)

 

Crew Locating Victim v Total Recorded Rescue:

Primary – 58% (681/1167)

Attack – 26% (303/1167)

Other – 6% (68/1167)

Secondary – 5% (57/1167)

Salvage/Overhaul – 2% (29/1167)

PD – 2% (18/1167)

Ventilation – 1% (11/1167)

 

Crew Locating Victim v Survival Rate:

Primary – 57% (385/673)

Attack – 54% (161/299)

Other – 74% (49/66)

Secondary – 21% (12/57)

Salvage/Overhaul – 10% (3/29)

PD – 94% (17/18)

Ventilation – 82% (9/11)

 

Search Type v Total Recorded Rescues:

Split – 38% (264/700)

Left Hand/Right Hand – 26% (180/700)

Oriented – 17% (118/700)

VES/VEIS – 19% (133/700)

Search Line – 1% (5/700)

 

Search Type v Survival Rate:

Split – 58% (150/260)

Left Hand/Right Hand – 53% (94/179)

Oriented – 54% (63/117)

VES/VEIS – 48% (63/132)

Search Line – 20% (1/5)

 

Thermal Imager Use v Total Recorded Rescues:

Thermal Imager Used– 37% (263/702)

No Thermal Imager Used – 63% (439/702)

 

Thermal Imager Use v Survival Rate:

Thermal Imager Used– 47% (122/259)

No Thermal Imager Used – 58% (251/436)

 

Time From FD Arrival on Scene Until Arrival at Victim (Search Time) v Total Recorded Rescues:

<2 minutes – 22% (262/1165)

2-4 minutes – 31% (357/1165)

4-6 minutes – 18% (208/1165)

6-8 minutes – 11% (130/1165)

>8 minutes – 18% (208/1165)

 

Time From FD Arrival on Scene Until Arrival at Victim (Search Time) v Survival Rate:

<2 minutes – 75% (194/258)

2-4 minutes – 60% (211/354)

4-6 minutes – 56% (116/207)

6-8 minutes – 43% (56/129)

>8 minutes – 28% (58/205)

 

Time From Arrival at Victim Until Victim Removed (Removal Time) v Total Recorded Rescues:

<2 minutes – 64% (717/1119)

2-4 minutes – 15% (170/1119)

4-6 minutes – 6% (71/1119)

6-8 minutes – 3% (28/1119)

>8 minutes – 12% (133/1119)

 

Time From Arrival at Victim Until Victim Removed (Removal Time) v Survival Rate:

<2 minutes – 60% (425/710)

2-4 minutes – 66% (111/167)

4-6 minutes – 61% (43/71)

6-8 minutes – 68% (19/28)

>8 minutes – 15% (19/131)

 

Time From FD Arrival on Scene Until Victim Removed (Total Rescue Time) v Total Recorded Rescues:

<2 minutes – 38% (425/1115)

2 - 6 minutes – 34% (381/1115)

7 - 10 minutes – 12% (138/1115)

11 - 14 minutes – 3% (36/1115)

15 - 20 minutes – 3% (30/1115)

21 – 30 minutes – 2% (18/1115)

>30 minutes – 8% (87/1115)

 

Time From FD Arrival on Scene Until Victim Removed (Total Rescue Time) v Survival Rate:

<2 minutes – 67% (280/421)

2 - 6 minutes – 60% (226/378)

7 - 10 minutes – 57% (77/135)

11 - 14 minutes – 39% (14/36)

15 - 20 minutes – 43% (13/30)

21 – 30 minutes – 22% (4/18)

>30 minutes – 5% (4/86)

 

Means of Removal v Total Recorded Rescues:

Hands On – 75% (867/1149)

Ground Ladder – 10% (114/1149)

Victims Own Power – 10% (114/1149)

Stokes/Stretcher – 4% (48/1149)

Aerial Ladder – 1% (6/1149)

 

Means of Removal v Survival Rate:

Hands On – 52% (447/861)

Ground Ladder – 76% (84/111)

Victims Own Power – 99% (110/111)

Stokes/Stretcher – 17% (8/47)

Aerial Ladder – 33% (2/6)

 

Number of Rescuers Needed for Removal v Total Recorded Rescues:

1 – 23% (264/1147)

2 – 43% (490/1147)

3 – 18% (202/1147)

4-6 – 15% (175/1147)

>6 – 1% (16/1147)

 

Number of Rescuers Needed for Removal v Survival Rate:

1 – 69% (182/263)

2 – 57% (275/482)

3 – 49% (97/198)

4-6 – 46% (81/175)

>6 – 6% (1/16)

 

Medical Treatment v Total Recorded Rescues:

(Initially one question and you could choose multiple answers)

CPR – 382

Cyanokit – 115

Hospital – 196

ED – 427

Burn Center – 180

 

Medical Treatment v Survival Rate:

CPR – 28% (104/378)

Cyanokit – 73% (84/115)

Hospital – 74% (145/196)

ED – 68% (288/422)

Burn Center – 77% (136/177)

 

Condition of Victim v Total Recorded Rescues:

(Initially one question and you could choose multiple answers)

Unconscious – 584

Severe Burns (3^rd/4^th) – 242

Cardiac Arrest – 293

(CPR Performed – 216)

(Total CPR – 382)

 

Condition of Victim v Survival Rate:

Unconscious – 48% (279/578)

Severe Burns (3^rd/4^th) – 32% (75/238)

Cardiac Arrest – 15% (44/290)

[CPR Performed – 20% (44/216)]

[Total CPR – 28% (104/378)]

 

Total Recorded Rescues v Survival Rate:

Alive – 55% (638/1157)

Deceased – 45% (519/1157)