IFSTA CH 10 Search Flashcards
types of hazards
air emergencies
lost/disoriented
entanglement
rapid fire development
collapse/trapped
Determining Tenability
An untenable environment is not necessarily dangerous to life and health if the proper level of PPE is provided
The environment may remain tenable as long as there is no evidence of structural collapse and heat levels and duration of the interior operations stay within acceptable limits for the PPE and SCBA provided
The environment of a structure fire or damage structure can change swiftly due to:
Sudden or unexpected fire spread and temperature increase within the structure
Loss of structure stability and possible collapse
Buildup of smoke and products of combustion
Identifying safe havens
May be rooms or closet areas where the door can be closed to prevent the spread of heat, smoke and toxic gases into that space
There are three key principles of air management:
Always know how much air you have left
Know your point of no return
Inform the IC if you must exit the structure
Your point of no return is based on:
How much air is required to exit the IDLH
The lowest cylinder gauge reading of any member of the team
Your departments SOPs
Environmental conditions
Your teams physical and mental conditions
Shelter in place - Take these actions to help rescuers locate you:
Remain calm and control your breathing
Get to an uninvolved, nearby room if possible and close the door
Shine a light through available windows to draw attention to your location
Continue to communicate on your radio, including information that might be useful to the crews trying to locate you
Activate your PASS device
Reasons for air Monitors
Identify hazards
Determine appropriate PPE, tools and equipment
Determine perimeters and the scope of the incident
Determine if respiratory protection is needed at a trench, confined space or other technical rescue
atmospheric hazards
oxygen enrichment or deficiency
flammability
toxicity
oxygen enrichment or deficiency measured as
Measured as a percentage of oxygen in the air using an oxygen meter
flammability measured as
Measured as a percentage of flammable gas in the air based upon the gas’s lower explosive limit using a combustible gas indicator (CGI)
toxicity measured in
Measured in parts per millions of a toxic gas in the air using single gas or multigas detectors
Oxygen Enrichment and Deficiency
Normal air contains 20.9 percent oxygen, 78.1 percent nitrogen and 1 percent other gases
Below 19.5 percent oxygen the atmosphere is considered oxygen deficient and IDLH, requiring use of supplied air such as SCBA
The atmosphere is considered oxygen enriched at concentrations above 23.5 percent, presenting an increased threat for fire and explosion
Flammability
An atmosphere containing a flammable gas, vapor or mist in excess of 10 percent of its lower explosive limit (LEL) is considered hazardous
If monitoring equipment indicates the presence of flammable gases or vapors, responders must assume the atmosphere to be flammable or explosive
All nearby sources of ignition should be eliminated and consideration must be given to delaying entry into the area until ventilation reduces the level of flammable gas or vapors to below 10 percent of its LEL
Combustible gas indicators Measure the amount of flammable vapors and gases in the atmosphere in one of these three ways:
Percentage of the lower explosive limit (LEL)
Parts per million (ppm)
Percentage of gas per volume of air
Toxicity
Fire produce toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, in a structure fire assume toxic gases, vapors, fumes and particulates are present in a structure even after the fire has been extinguished
A typical 4-gas monitor will detect LEL, oxygen, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide
Equipment used to sample and analyze a potentially hazardous environment must be:
Accurately calibrated
Direct-reading
Capable of measuring the oxygen concentration
Bump test
Is a calibration performed on air monitors being taken to an incident
Are performed before mounting an apparatus
Verifies the performance of the gas detector and ensures that the sensors respond to the correct target gas or gases in the correct amounts
Zero Cal
Once at the incident, the firefighter responsible for air monitoring should perform a fresh-air calibration
Personnel should accurately document monitoring, detection and sampling results:
Time of reading
Location and level of the reading
Reading obtained
Instrument used
Information downloaded from device if so equipped
Before entering an IDLH area, prepare yourself and other members of your crew, you must ensure that:
You know who you report to
Your portable radio is turned on, working properly and set to the correct fireground channel
Your SCBA is turned on, working properly and contains a full cylinder of air
Your PASS device is turned on and working properly
You know your assigned duties and the tactical objectives of your crew
You are aware of the alternate means of egress from the structure
Know the layout or floor plan
This knowledge may come from inspections, preincident surveys, architectural plans or personal observation
Rescue personnel should carry a variety of tools and equipment when conducting search and rescue operations, examples:
Flashlights
Thermal imager
Portable radio
Forcible entry tools
Charged hose line
Rope for search lines
Ladders
Thermal imagers (TI)
Allow firefighters to see sources of heat through darkness and thick smoke
Also used to locate victims and hidden fires
Identify temperature differentials on surfaces
Using TIC during search and rescue or firefighting operations has a number of advantages:
Enhances situational awareness
Improves visibility in an obscured environment
Provides additional information during search
May be useful in locating victims, the seat of the fire or hidden fires
TIC have some limitations:
They cannot detect a person under or behind furniture or on the opposite side of a wall
They cannot “see” through water, glass or other reflective surfaces
If a structure is carpeted, TIs may not be able to detect fire on the floors below
Fire Isolation
Locating and isolating the fire must be a priority before any search
Searched rooms can be marked using any of the following:
Chalk or crayon markers
Specially designed door markers
Latch straps over doorknobs
Primary Search
Is intended to rapidly determine the location of victims
The search should be fast but thorough and may be performed either before or during fire suppression operations
Quickly check the known or likely locations of victims and all affected areas of the structure
Secondary search
Is a slow, thorough search conducted after the fire is under control
The purpose is to ensure that no occupants were overlooked during the primary search
Using different personnel to conduct the secondary search has the advantage of allowing the search team to use “fresh eyes” and get an unbiased view of the scene
Structural instability and areas where the fire is starting to rekindle must be reported immediately
Search methods
When you enter a room, turn right or left and follow the walls around until you return to your starting point
As you leave the room, turn in the same direction you did to enter and continue to the next room to be searched
Start your search as close to the fire as possible and then work back toward the entrance door, this allows your team to reach those in the greatest danger first
Always control the egress passageway so search teams can escape if conditions change rapidly
steps to accomplish controlling the egress
Stage a firefighter at the door to the room to be searched. This firefighter should control the door to control the flow path into the room
Close doors to rooms adjacent to the passageway after they are searched
Position hose teams at intervals along the path to cool accumulated gases
Use thermal imagers to aid in searching the rooms off the hallway for victim heat signatures or fires
Oriented-Search Method
Work as an efficient way for a team to search a room
The team leader remains anchored at the door, or hose line, while other team members spread out through the room to complete the search
Wide area search method
Sometimes used to conduct a primary search of a large or complex area that is filled with smoke
This system employs a dedicated search line, typically 200 feet of rope
A minimum of three team members are required, although larger teams can be more effective
VEIS method
Stans for Vent, Enter, Isolate and Search
Is a search technique intended to provide rapid search of individual rooms that can be accessed from the exterior, usually through a window
number of FF needed for VEIS
Two firefighters (three if using a ladder) can perform VEIS
First, the searcher ventilates and makes entry
The second firefighter may then enter if desired
The firefighter remains at the point of entry to guide the searcher back to the exit
Shelter-in-Place - Involves moving victims to a protected location within the structure, it is used when;
The hazard is minor
It is safer to keep victims insider the structure
Victims are incapacitated and cannot be moved
There is limited staffing to assist with evacuation
The structure can provide a protection barrier between the victim and the hazard
types of victim carries
o Incline drag
o Extremities lift/carry
o Webbing drag
o Cradle-in-arms lift/carry
o Seat lift/carry
o Litter carry
Mayday protocols
First, describe the problem and give your location to your partner, team leader or supervisor
Remain in place until another firefighter reaches you
communicate your air supply status and any actions you are taking
Describe your location as clearly as possible so that rescuers know where to search for you
When MAYDAY is broadcast, the following actions must immediately be taken:
All radio traffic ceases and only traffic relating to the MAYDAY is allowed
Nonessential activities cease and units are directed to assist with searching for the firefighter who has broadcast the MAYDAY
The RIC is dispatched to locate the downed firefighter
If a MAYDAY event does occur, you must choose one of three courses of action:
remaining in place
seeking safe haven
escaping
Immediate Actions to Improve Survivability
Staying low to the floor
Using your hose stream for protection
Closing doors between you and the fire
Using tools to shore building material
Filtering toxic air
When any evacuation signal is given
all units on scene must give a personnel accountability report (PAR)*
Escaping to Safe Haven - Is the best option in any of the following circumstances:
There is an imminent threat of structural collapse
There is not a safe place of shelter
You have completely exhausted your air supply
Rapid fire development is about to occur
You have been ordered to abandon the structure
RAPID INTERVENTION
Mandatory RIC equipment can be described using the acronym AWARE (air, Water, a Radio and Extrication)
removing located FF
After locating the downed firefighter, the RIC checks his or her air supply
The RIC notifies command of the firefighters location and status
If the firefighter is trapped or injured, assistance will be requested
While waiting for help to arrive, the team will mitigate hazards that threaten the downed
Removing located FF - Firefighter with functioning SCBA
The team must move the firefighter carefully so as not to dislodge the mask
removing located FF - Firefighter with nonfunctioning SCBA
The team must either connect the firefighters facepiece to a functioning SCBA or quickly remove the firefighter from the hazardous atmosphere
