Fire Dept. Ambulance Firefighting Tools

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Permalink Reply by Brandon Erbe on August 19, 2009 at 6:53pm

Thanks for the post, I've never thought to bring it up before. We are also dispatched to fires with our ambo. One house brings the engine with at least two and the other brings the ambo depending on the still. We carry irons and air packs with escape ropes attached. Not much room left for anything else. A question I have though is for those of you that are going to fires expecting to work is there another ambo called for ems or are you expected to come out and provide treatment if needed? This issue has been brought up many times for us. Often the ambo crew goes in, due to low intial staffing, then when we get the fire under control the ic will clear them up to go on an ems run right away. Also if ems is needed on scene we would have to provide that. They tried for a while to have us just stage our ems equip and stay out but that did not last very long due to the staffing issue. Just looking for some input on how you guys handle it.

Thanks,
Erbe

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Permalink Reply by Adam Gannaway on August 20, 2009 at 3:29pm

On are department it is required for all of us to have are emt-b. The crew that will make entry is the passenger on the pumper and the passenger from the tanker. Then when the equipment truck shows up we will have more personal on that. When the ambulance
shows on scene they will be given a job to do by the ic. If we have to we will call in another ambulance from another department . If the fire scene is something small and if we get an ambulance call they will brake from the scene and respond to the call.
Brandon Erbe said:

Thanks for the post, I've never thought to bring it up before. We are also dispatched to fires with our ambo. One house brings the engine with at least two and the other brings the ambo depending on the still. We carry irons and air packs with escape ropes attached. Not much room left for anything else. A question I have though is for those of you that are going to fires expecting to work is there another ambo called for ems or are you expected to come out and provide treatment if needed? This issue has been brought up many times for us. Often the ambo crew goes in, due to low intial staffing, then when we get the fire under control the ic will clear them up to go on an ems run right away. Also if ems is needed on scene we would have to provide that. They tried for a while to have us just stage our ems equip and stay out but that did not last very long due to the staffing issue. Just looking for some input on how you guys handle it.

Thanks,
Erbe

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Nowicki on August 20, 2009 at 4:36pm

Erik,

The post by Micheal Bricault makes the most sense to me. He states that the equipment must be dictated by the mission and I couldn't agree more. However I keep hearing the same thing from all of the posts. It appears to be the consensis that the ambulance is the first or one of the first to arrive. With that in mind, it is logical to think of what is first for our strategies and tactics.

Rescue: What do you need for this? Search line. Forcible entry kit. Water can. What about an Attic ladder? It makes a great stretcher and allows for access and egress into some hairy places. It is invaluable for Denver Drill type situations. We always remember it only after we need it.

I know what you're thinking. Where am I going to put an eight foot attic ladder? Answer: right up against the wall and the floor in the patient compartment down by the stretcher. Give it a try, see if it works.

Good luck.

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Permalink Reply by Shareef Abdu Nur on August 22, 2009 at 2:10pm

In our area, Squad(Ambo) crews respond to a working structure with every intent on going to "work." When the crews arrive on scene, Command will tell them if they are a working crew or an EMS crew. If they are assigned as a working crew, Command will request another Squad(Ambo) for EMS.

Brandon Erbe said:

Thanks for the post, I've never thought to bring it up before. We are also dispatched to fires with our ambo. One house brings the engine with at least two and the other brings the ambo depending on the still. We carry irons and air packs with escape ropes attached. Not much room left for anything else. A question I have though is for those of you that are going to fires expecting to is there another ambo called for ems or are you expected to come out and provide treatment if needed? This issue has been brought up many times for us. Often the ambo crew goes in, due to low intial staffing, then when we get the fire under control the ic will clear them up to go on an ems run right away. Also if ems is needed on scene we would have to provide that. They tried for a while to have us just stage our ems equip and stay out but that did not last very long due to the staffing issue. Just looking for some input on how you guys handle it.

Thanks,
Erbe

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Permalink Reply by Joseph Artanis on August 24, 2009 at 10:55pm

We run ALS Rescue Trucks that both transport to the ED's and also are dispatched on House or Building Fires. Depending on the order of arrival, usually the Rescue is the Truck company. They will do the primary search, ventilation, or RIT. Depending on the Captain of the truck and their response area, these trucks do not carry the same equipment. The Rescue that runs out of our house has: Full set of Irons Axe, Sledge, Halligan, Pick Axe, Bolt cutters(2 sizes) cheater bar, pipe wrench, hydrant wrenches, other tools, Tool Box, High Rise Bag, Portable Standpipe, High Rise Pack, 150' of inch and 3 quarter, K12, Sthil Chain Saw, 2 roof hooks, plastrer hook, 2 water cans, CO2 and Dry Chem, TIC, 4 Rope Bags, SCBA's, 2 Dive Tanks Cribbing, 3 extra SCBA bottles. Some other Resuces have Air Chissels, Rabbit Tool, Come-a-long...
If the Alarm is a confirmed House fire another rescue is dispatched to be Medical.

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Permalink Reply by Russ Chapman on August 25, 2009 at 5:59pm

SCBA, Irons that include an 8 lbs force axe, a 2 1/2 gal can and a 6 ft steel hook.

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Permalink Reply by Nick Howard on August 26, 2009 at 11:26pm

Hello guys,here for soe information,

pulaskis, McCLeods, chainsaws, shovel's, monkey paws a little rake, bent shovels bosleys, pin shovels, whompers a tool used for pounding wedges into trees, regular shovels, falling axe. Some crews have devised their own specialty tool such as a Super P, which is basically a pulaski with a bigger grubbing end on it. These are thenames of the tools that we carry. Also there is a tool named the combi tool. I have seen those used out there as well. There are also strange names for other tools out there..

[url=http://www.cogswell.edu/FireScience.html]Fire Science University[/url]

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Permalink Reply by Shareef Abdu Nur on October 17, 2009 at 4:54am

In our areas the ambulances are all ALS and are called Squads. They are staffed with at least 2-3 Firefighter/paramedics. the equipment carried is 2-3 SCBA's, irons, pickhead, sledge, water extinguisher, hydrant wrenches, box lights, and some companies carry roof hooks as well. When a "Squad" is dispatched on a box alarm, they go to work usually as a vent or search team. There are many scenarios where they arrive 1st due and they will make entry for a search, vent, or quick grab befor the rest of the alarm arrives. there are other scenarios where the Squad Co makes the water supply for the 1st due Engine Co if the 2nd due Engine Co has not arrived yet.

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