A friend from a Baltimore City Truck Company sent this video over to us from a Rapid Fire Event that happened in Baltimore on Friday. BCFD crews were operating on scene of a occupied row house where they had a well advanced fire upon arrival. We are simply calling this a Rapid Fire Event because we don’t want to cause any arguments over whether it was a Flashover, Backdraft, or something else. The terminology is not the important thing here. Watch the video, and wait for the detailed reports come out in the few months, LEARN FROM THEM. That’s what the post is about. (You may have to let the video load once, and click it again to actually view it, we are working on fixing that…)
[flv]http://www.vententersearch.com/videos/flv/bcfdrapidfireevent.flv[/flv]
From what we understand the first Truck Company on scene’s tillerman laddered & VES’d the second floor front while the roof man vented a few skylights, and reached over to pop the rear second floor windows. As the roofman began to come down the ladder, he described a sound of a “freight train coming through†when the Rapid Fire Event occurred. It caused venting out of every opening in the entire house including the second floor and skylights. It is important to point out that the first Truck Company on scene should have been the second due Truck Company under normal conditions. However, the regular first due Truck Company was closed as a result of rotating closures for manpower. It is tough to say whether or not this created enough of a delay in the performance of Truck Company functions to have contributed to the event from occurring. We only mention it here to highlight the significance of the need to perform Truck Functions early.
The fire appears to have started in the basement, which was also where the rapid fire event appears to have begun. Apparently the engine crew was delayed in making it into the basement and truly getting to the seat of the fire due to a large amount of contents in the basement.
Preliminary reports were that seven members were injured as a result of this event with mostly minor burns and a dislocated shoulder. We understand that the officer of the Engine Company is still hospitalized, but in stable condition. We wish all of the members a speedy recovery!
Not to fault anyone here, but this is just another reason why the ICs and others NOT in full PPE shouldn’t be anywhere near the operational area. I hope all of those not protected are OK. Hazards exist not only inside the bldg, but in close proximity as well. I understand that row houses like this one have limited operational room, but standing right in the doorway “aint the place to be” unless full protected. Be safe brothers.
The videographer has posted a slightly longer version on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO3zQXx4gIo
Batlimore? (Sorry just nice to see it doesnt just happen to me:) )
DMAN, What the hell are you talking about, there are no mis-spellings in the post…
Actually, you got me, I screwed up, I was in a rush. But the best thing about being the webmaster, is that I have possession of the “edit” button. Anyway, thanks for keeping me in line. -Jimm-
You got it, buddy! I saw that you commented and I thought I was getting banned! Seriously though, I saw this, whatever type of event we’re calling it, once from about 8 feet away, and if I never see another one, that would be just fine with me. I know the guy shooting this video seemed to think it was pretty cool, but I about s#@t myself.
wow, I’ll be interested to see what they think it ended up being and what they thought caused it.
Obviously doesn’t help that the truck company was coming from further away. Any familiar with Baltimore know what the difference in arrival time between the responding truck company and what the should have been 1st due truck’s arrival time would have been?
I don’t think it was a backdraft or a flashover, it looked more like someone was in the back door with a leaf blower
Ya I have to agree with bulldawg2299, but if the left handed rubber glove would have been taken off first, it wouldn’t have filled up with air and blown up causing a sudden burst of air to run through the structure. Maybe next time!
Question from a non-fd citizen… what is the siren and horn? I’m assuming a distress signal to evacuate? What is it and why did it happen here?
Mark, the siren and horn are signals to interior personnel to get out. If there was a backdraft or flashover then it is imperative to determine if everyone is accounted for and that the building is still safe to be in.
Mark,, no disrespect but if you are a non fire fighter why are you on this site ??? And please don’t take it with attitude I am just curious 😉
A question for the group, I know we have quite a cross section of the U.S. and other countries so looking for some good input and opinion (like that is hard to get from this group LOL). What is your state/county/region or station emergency evacuation signal?
In my little slice of heaven Hunterdon county New Jersey and Essex county New Jersey it is three long blasts of the air horn from all rigs on scene that can continue until command/safety advises to stop. Quite a sound I might add still puts a knot in my stomach every time I hear it..
I like the air horn, not a big fan of siren too much of a chance of a false alarm IMO. And if your department does not have an emergency evacuation signal I suggest either leaving the department or being proactive and getting one.
Hope all are well stay safe
Blasting on the air horn for our department. We say 3 blasts, but if anybody goes to laying on the horns, you better be getting your ass out, instead of counting.
Gotta agree with Brickcity on the use of sirens. Could get confused with incoming companies, etc. Long blasts of the airhorns is pretty much the standard for us and surrounding depts.
This is our evacuation signal. Notice how he covers the Delta side, then the Bravo side, then the Alpha side. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJoqqKyasNA&feature=PlayList&p=0F732242403D6626&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=34
And please, no comments about lack of PPE, this is just for informational purposes!
Wow! DMAN where did you find that footage of me at our annual boot drive/ loauh(that’s a hard word to spell)?
BC- I happen to sell saw blades to lots of people. One of those I stopped to see asked me to check out his site (Jimm) and I’ve checked it daily since then.
At my station the evac signal is three blasts of the airhorns and an evac tone on the radios (really good reason to carry one).
I think 3 one sec. airhorn blasts is about the norm for us in southern OH.I’ve seen a smoke explosion that looked(and sounded) alot like this one…really gets your attention!!Stay safe guys & girls out there
DMAN – I almost just pissed my self laughing.
As for the evac signal… 3 long air horn blasts, followed by evac tones done by fire alarm. followed by 3 more air horn blasts.
Interesting, The old Evac Signal debate. (By debate I mean constructive, educational discussion, of course!)
Here in Central Florida The Evac signal is 10 Air Horn Blasts, paired with an Evac Signal on the radio. Here, 3 Air Horn Blasts is the Signal to open the Hydrant… When I say Central Florida, I’m not exactly sure how far out into Central Florida this goes, but its certainly the case in my immediate area. (At least that’s what I think anyway, I have a feeling someone may inform me something different on this…)
I think the 3-10 thing may pose an issue and create a potential for confusion between the orders to open hydrant and Evac. Hear me out on this… In our area we are very programed to hearing three blasts on the fireground, so at what point to you realize: wait that was more than three blasts… did someone screw-up, or do they want me to evacuate? 3,4,5, wait… did someone, 6,7,8, maybe this means I should, 9, 10, OK now I’ll go? This isn’t something we should have to mentally process so much! Also, i think, that some of the reluctance to adopt the three blasts as Evac is because of the potential confusion of an arrival company using the air horn to clear traffic in the immediate area. …Just thinking out loud here…
Because of this, Winter Park Fire Department has adopted one single continuous 10-15 second Air Horn Blast, followed by the radio Evac tone. The idea is that this is a quick (and different) sound that should be easy to recognize. The problem with this is that were are the only ones who do it this way. If we have any mutual-aid companies working on scene, they may not understand the one continuous Air Horn Blast, or they may hear the Evac order on the radio and signal with their own 10 short blasts. So basically we could have most units giving one continuous blast and one unit giving 10 short ones. CONFUSING…
I just want to point out that the 3 horn blast is more widely accepted as Evac, and even serves as the FEMA USAR Evac signal. The three blasts should be heard as: OUT, OUT, OUT. Quick, easy, and to the point. I think it would make sense for this to be more universal. -Jimm-
We use a combination of a radio evac tone, voice announcement to evacuate the fire building(over the radio after the tone) and every truck onscene blasts their air horns for approximatly 1 minute or more. Its deafening and stomach sinking at the same time. That is then followed by another evac tone and voice announcement at a preset time from the request. I it 4 mins. A suburb of Philly PA
D-Man … I must get one of those and wrap it in a latex glove for the Chief. He would love it!
Our Dept uses the air hors simply because they are easy acsess on the pump pannel and less confusion from other responding units…
3 long blasts for evac
2 short blasts for “send water” (if you are not in line of sight)
1 long blast to scare the crap out of the rookie during morning checks…etc…
I wish we had toned radios for the evac tones… I really wish we had radios that worked in all areas of our district… wish in one hand and _____ in the other tho right?
Funny stuff DMAN!! No mistaking that evac signal. Ours is as follows per our sogs.
EVACUATION
1. If an immediate evacuation is needed, the IC should initiate evacuation procedures, announce “EMERGENCY TRAFFIC†on the radio, and proceed to broadcast critical scene information in “CLEAR-TEXT†to emergency personnel operating in an area requiring the evacuation (i.e. “ALL COMPANIES EVACUATE THE BUILDINGâ€, etc.)
2. The “EVACUATION SIGNAL†will consist of repeated short blasts of the air horn for a period no longer than 10 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of silence. This sequence of air horn blasts for 10 seconds followed by a 10 second period of silence will be done three times; total air horn evacuation signal including periods of silence will last 50 seconds.
3. The IC shall designate the specific apparatus to sound the evacuation signal using air horns. This can be done in conjunction with the radio announcement of “EMERGENCY TRAFFICâ€, with direction for emergency scene personnel to evacuate the hazard area.
Where I am from we do 5 long blast on the air horn from every unit on scene, along with EVAC tone over the county fx followed by the county telling everyone to evacuate the building. Sometime if command has a radio capable he will hit the evac from his radio on the fire ground channel due to our county not monitoring our fire ground channels.
Here in East Central FL, all agencies in Volusia use the following (I think one of our area chiefs must’ve stolen it from 2dawgs, cause it’s identical, word for word):
“…repeated short blasts of the air horn for a period no longer than 10 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of silence. This sequence of air horn blasts for 10 seconds followed by a 10 second period of silence will be done three times; total air horn evacuation signal including periods of silence will last 50 seconds…”, along with the other steps he posted.
Our signal for sending water is one blast and a radio transmission.
In the Houston Fire Department all apparatus on scene sound their airhorns for 30 seconds and our T-PASS 2’s have an evacuation alarm. Unless your a few floors up in a highrise the air horns going contiuously is unmistakeable and can be heard through anything.
In the Sacramento regional area as well as the Fresno/Tulare counties we all use the 3 long air horn blast until a PAR is complete and all personel are accounted for. Everybaody stay safe out there… M.Doney
(PTB-EGH)
We do a continuous air horn blast from all apparatus near the incident, it helps on large buildings and strip centers when units on side C are doing the same thing…plus none of us are coordinated enough to pound out 3 blasts at the same time as another unit, it would end up sounding continuous anyway. Dispatch will simultaneously sound the evacuation tones over the radio. A whole lot of “get-the-hell-out” noise from all sides!
i know alot of bcfd members and a few who were at the fire the charlie side crew was outside the back door with a charged line and asked interior if they could enter and comand had them back out til the interior crew made it up the stairs then all hell broke loose its not a back draft nor a flashover they are under investigation but inside sources lead to an explosion undertermined tho. now injurys. minor burns to a ffs neck another with a few broken ribs and burns on the neck and a few other minor burns. with the closings im sure your all aware of it made the truck company a littel bit of a distance all due to wonderful she-lie dixon. the crew inside made it out a little bumped and brused. i will repost when i get more information back
Thanks guys,, it seems that air horn is the norm with radio traffic.. OK to pick your brains a little more, where do you report upon evacuation??? We report to our apparatus driver side for PAR which is done by the dispatch, something like “Engine 41 do you have par???†The reply is either “Engine 41 has parâ€,, or†Engine 41 missing Engine 41-Bravo†and the last known location..
As silly as it sounds, that’s a damn good question. Our SOP just says,
“Upon hearing these signals, all personnel must evacuate the structure or hazardous area immediately and report to their company officer, section chief, or the Incident Commander.”
While it tells us what to do, it doesn’t really give us a designated place to go to. Kind of funny that when we go to schools we tell the kids to talk with their parents about a “meeting place”, yet we don’t have one. Thanks for the reality check Brickcity…guess I should go give the Battalion a call now.
I run like Forrest f@#king Gump when the horn blows. I run till I hit water, then I turn around. Eventually I’ll make it back around to the scene.
A funny story to add, we were on a scene where the tower would not make it down the driveway about ½ mile long we were advised to catch a ride in and work off the squad rig on scene.. The probie asked in typical probie form “if we are ordered out do we still report to the tower??†I pondered for a moment and said just follow me. He was a good kid and I know he would of hauled ass all the rig and waited..
I’m no fire-guy either, but I read this site pretty regularly. In my case I was in Disaster Preparedness in the USAF quite awhile ago, but now do my best to stay away from fires, crashes, explosions, and other things that can do me grievous harm. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to learn stuff that might help me and my family if we do end up in a situation like that.
As I am just on my second department I am not sure what the EVAC signal is (you think that they would tell you that right away, but I’m not certified for interior in the state yet) My first department in Maine just used the air horns, no fancy signals but as soon as you heard them you were to get out. We had a mutual aid once with another department who used signals, which caused us and a few other companies to bail out even though nothing had happened
i know one of the guys who was on that fire. hes okay. he was standing out by the OIC and got blown into the car.