Salvage (BSM) Flashcards
The protection of buildings and their contents from unnecessary damage due to water, smoke, and other elements, both during and after a fire
Salvage
___ can allow families to continue living in their homes within a few hours after a fire has occurred, with irreplaceable personal effects and property left intact
Efficiently performed salvage work
What will dictate your actions during salvage?
Good common sense, in combination with a thorough working knowledge of the available tools
Don’t allow a limited amount of fire damage to disintegrate into a large amount of ___
Water damage and peripheral destruction
Salvage considerations should be present during ___ stage of fire fighting operations
Every
SFD tarps are treated to be ___
Water and mildew resistant and extremely pliable
3 tarp sizes in use
- Standard tarp: 12’ x 18’
- Hall runner: 3’ x 18’
- Visqueen (plastic) section: 14’ x 20’ (must be cut to size)
Each tarp has canvas loops that are fastened to two corners and are called ___
Ears
Metal grommet holes on tarps are spaced at ___ along the ___
- 16” intervals
- Reinforced outside edges
SFD tarps are stenciled ___
“SFD” in the center, on one side only
The side of the tarp with the logo generally indicates the side of the tarp that is ___
Kept clean, for use on upholstered furniture
The side of the tarp with the logo is referred to as the ___
Clean side
Canvas tarp inventories are maintained in the stations by ___
The ladder company captains
Some older tarps may have a ___ stenciled on them
Lot and section number
Why are lot and section numbers on tarps useless?
Tarp inventory is no longer tracked by the services division
Tarps are carried on ___
All ladder trucks and engines, on some aid cars, and on various other special purpose apparatus
How are standard tarps stowed?
Accordion folded and held ready with two rubber bands per tarp
Folded dimensions of a standard tarp
3’ x 8”-12”
Hall runners are carried on ___
All ladder trucks
How are hall runners stowed?
Accordion folded
Hall runner dimensions when folded
Same as a standard tarp
Bed fire bundle
Two tarps and a hall runner lashed together
It is common practice for ladder companies to store a bed fire bundle ready for ___
Immediate deployment
___Tarps are most often utilized as ___
Covers
Tarps can be used as ___
- Covers
- Construction of water chutes, dikes, and diverters
- Occasionally in 1st aid as blankets, padding, or ground covers
Cleaning soiled tarps
Use water and a scrub brush. Use mild detergent if necessary. Hang dry completely before folding
If it is necessary to nail canvas tarps, ___
Nail through the grommet holes and bend the nails over
Avoid dragging the tarps over ___
Sharp or jagged objects
Small holes or tears in canvas tarps are generally repaired by ___
The firefighters on duty in the stations
Plastic tarps are purchased in ___
Large, pleated rolls 14’ x 100’
Plastic tarps are ___ after purchase
Cut into 14’ x 20’ section, rolled, taped, and stored
Where are plastic tarps stowed?
On the ladder truck in a duffle bag near other salvage and overhaul equipment
Advantages of plastic tarps
- Exceptionally water tight
- Relatively inexpensive
- Can be left onsite
- Practical for ling term uses
Disadvantages of plastic tarps
Tear easily and prone to slip off of objects
Plastic tarps are used almost exclusively as ___
Protection from environmental elements for roof or window covers, as well as being left over debris piles to protect bystanders from hazardous dust in a post fire situation
Accordion fold
- Two members face each other at opposite ends of the tarp
- Hold the tarp lengthwise between the members, clean side up
- Pull against each other slightly
- Both members grasp the tarp with their left hand 1/4 distance in from the right edge
- While pulling against each other, flip the outside folds up and into the center
- The person with the tarp ears to their right, kneels at the end of the tarp, facing the long way and grasps the tarp about 8”-12” from their knee, pulling toward them to make an 8”-12” fold
Forming pleats
- Continue grasping and pulling the tarp, stacking and creasing the pleats until the end of the tarp is reached
- The top flake should be facing the same direction as the bottom flake
- Ears will be contained in the top and bottom flakes, and will both be pointing in the same direction. The location of the ears will indicate the center of the tarp
- Rubber bands are then placed over the ends of the folded tarp
Remember when holding the accordion folded tarp for use ___
Ears towards you, and towards your work
What are the rubber bands that hold the tarps ready for use?
Inner tube cross sections
The doughnut roll
- Two members unpleat a tarp and lay it, still folded, on the floor
- Unfold one half of the tarp
- The members each grasp a corner on the long side of the unfolded half of the tarp
- While pulling tension against each other, roll the tarp to the center
- Both members move to the opposite side
- Unfold the other half of the tarp
- Roll again so that both sides are rolled to the center
- Both members kneel at the ends of the tarp and pull against each other to straighten the rolls
- Tarp is rolled lengthwise
Laying tarps
- One member holds the tarp across both arms with the ears towards the body and toward the object to be covered
- The bottom flake is gripped with both hands
- Forearms are elevated to hold tension on the tarp
- Second member grasps the top fold with both hands and walks backward until the tarp is stretched taut
- Place the center of the tarp (marked by the ears) alongside the centerline of the object to be covered
- Tarp is opened, excess is tucked under
___ indicates glass or fragile objects have been covered
A piece of lath or scrap wood laid parallel over the tarp
If more than one tarp is required to cover an object ___
Overlap the edges of the tarps by 1’ and roll them together in the same direction as the water will flow
Throwing tarps
- Two members take positions on opposite sides of the object to be covered
- Member throwing the tarp holds it in the left hand with the ears towards them and at the center of the target object
- The member grips the bottom quarter of the flakes with the left hand
- Pick up the top half of the flakes with the right hand
- Spread the tarp and cock the right arm
- With a shot put motion, heave the flakes in the right hand up and over the object to be covered
If more than one tarp is required to be thrown over an object ___
Throw the second alongside the edge of the first tarp and 5’ away from it, leaving 1’ of overlap when opened
How many feet of water can be moved per doughnut roll?
About 17’
Constructing the stairwell water chute
- Construct enough doughnut rolls
- Unroll the bottom tarp first, spreading the roll out on the stairs
- Unroll the next highest tarp, overlapping it by 1’ past the top of the lower chute. Spread it out across the stairs and roll the outside edges together, keeping the upper chute within the lower chute
- Continue up the stairs in the same manner until the source of water is reached and water flow is established
- Additional tarps, still folded, should be used to bank the chutes around turns to prevent overflow
How to measure length for the stairwell water chute?
Beginning at the point where the water will be released, 17’ per roll
Create the catchall
- Two members unpleat a tarp and lay it on the floor
- Unfold one half
- Members grasp the corners on the long side of the unfolded half
- While pulling against each other, roll the tarp into a point one foot short of the first crease (2’ in)
- Cross over to the opposite long side
- Unfold it and repeat
- Move clockwise to the short edge
- Roll that side in 3’
- Both members lock the corners by lifting the top roll with one hand, then raising the bottom roll with the other hand to from a pocket for the top roll
- Tuck the top roll into the pocket and square the corner
- Repeat the operation on the opposite short side
Catchall dimensions
8’ x 12’
Similar catchalls can be constructed and placed with their edges overlapping so that ___
One large floor is formed
Every 8’ x 12’ catchall will hold about ___
60 gallons for every 1” of depth
Consider requesting ___ for larger water jobs
The marine unit
Equipment required to construct a baby ladder catchall
- One canvas tarp
- Pike pole (12’ or longer)
- Baby ladder
Utility rope or several utility straps
Constructing the baby ladder catchall
- Set the baby ladder on the edge and remove the top of the fly section from the guides
- Dog the fly on the bottom rung again and spread the top ends to make a triangle of the ladder. Using a utility rope or strap, tie the rungs together with a clove hitch to form a closed end
- Place 12’+ pike pole along the edge of the tarp at the base of the ladder triangle
- Roll the pike pole into the tarp, keeping the pike end outside the roll, into the bottom of the base of the triangle
- Lift the rolled pike pile and tie it in place across the top of the spread end of the ladder
- Use a clove hitch around the pole and the beams of the ladder at the point above the top rung, to secure the tarp and pole to the ladder (Loops of the clove hitch should straddle the rungs)
- Tie the tarp to the ladder at the apex of the triangle
- Lift the catchall and tuck the tarp edges under the ladder
Bed fires can generate a lot of ___
Smoke
Best method for a mattress fire
Locate the mattress, extinguish it, wrapping it and removing from the structure rapidly
It must always be assumed that the mattress is still ___, and the ___
- Smoldering
- Introduction of enough oxygen will cause to re-ignite
Bed fire bundle
- After extinguishment, roll the mattress up to one end of the bed
- Two members, unfold the tarp and spread it out between the rolled up mattress and the end of the bed
- Wet the tarp thoroughly with the pump can
- Roll the rolled mattress onto the center of the wetted tarp
- Spread the tarp completely
- Stretch the long edges of the tarp up over the mattress
- Long edges are rolled together across the full length of the tarp
- Facing each other, the two members on the tarp twist the loose ends tight to the mattress clockwise
- Holding the twisted ends, carry the tarp and mattress from the building, followed by the 3rd member with the pump can (don’t use the elevator or throw it, use the stairs)
- Once removed, unroll it and overhaul as quickly as possible
If security is a concern with covering a window, what might be a better option than plastic tarp?
Nail a piece of wood over the opening
If the surface surrounding the hole to be tarped wont hold a nail ___
Duct tape may work or cover the hole from the inside of the building
Equipment needed to cover holes with plastic tarp
- Plastic tarp
- Several strips of lath
- Two hammers
- Two nail bags
Covering openings with plastic tarp
- Assemble equipment
- Cut a piece of plastic to the appropriate size (2’ wider and longer than the hole)
- Secure enough lath to span the width of the hole plus 1’ (except when nailing to window frame)
- Center the plastic over the hole
- Center the lath across the top edge of the piece of plastic
- Move to the bottom of the plastic and roll the lath under the plastic, rolling to a point 6” under the hole (pull down while rolling to ensure a tight roll and a taut surface)
- Nail the lath into place
- Position lath on the left side of the hole, between the previously nailed sections
- Move the lath to the edge of the plastic
- Before rolling, fold the top and bottom of the side plastic in at a slight angle
- Roll the lath into the plastic to the ends of the other lath, and nail in place
- Repeat to the right side
If more than one piece of lath is used, always ___
Overlap the ends of the lath, one on top of the other by 3” or 4”
