Our first year has been fantastic and we would like to again thank everyone for the ongoing support. In particular, we would like to thank everyone for all of the input, suggestions and submittals. During our first year we have had visits and submittals from all over the nation, and even outside the country. We are working on a video project to spotlight these different areas. It will be a “year in review†type of project We would like to give everyone the opportunity to be included. Please submit any additional videos or pictures that you would like to be included in this project. We will keep this post updated with any additional information. Deadline for submitting will be May 1, 2007.
Please submit all content to staff@vententersearch.com
Thank you once again for a spectacular year!
I have an idea for a discussion, I would like to see different ideas for light mounting on helmets. I have one I’m working on I will sent it when I finish. I enjoy your site very much. I’m a vollie in Michigan.
I think I have some pictures laying around here somewhere. Are you looking for anything specific or just general firefighting pics?
I might have something coming for you on some firefighting gloves I am trying out.
Keep on keepin on.
-Rhett Fleitz
Year in review submittals
Apparatus Photos- Aerial’s
Any photos of your company members. Being we focus on truck company operations we would prefer to have an aerial in the picture.
Any photos of companies working at scene such as fire, pin-ins,special ops ect again try to keep them truck company oriented.
Any video that would follow suit with the picture specs. on scene work ect.
please include identification of company and city or agency. Example Truck 10 Orlando
Thanks and stay safe Jeff Ponds
i need help fast!!! my department is trying to make it a protocol for truck companys to carry a charged hose line with them while preforming a search and rescue. i would appericate any feed back on why this is a bad idea so mabey i can prevent this from happening. if you think this is a good idea id like to hear from you also, but as far as im concerned the truck company does not need a charged hose line for search and rescue ops. thanks, chuckie
I will never ever ever drag a damn hose line in with me. The problem is dragging a handline slow down the progress of the first team making for an inefficent search. The most i bring with me on a search is a water can for flashover situations. I say no handlines!!
I really don’t see a truck crew dragging a line in with them either. A can should be about it. I have noticed more and more truckies with lines in their hands on incidents. That being said, who is doing the truck work if the truckies are running the line?
I too would like to see photos of aerials used in different ways (i.e. store fronts etc.) Tower Ladders seem to work best for this task since Ladder Towers (most) must be fully extended to reach such a low level. I’ve seen pictures on the internet, but what like to see these pics posted on here if you have em.
Stay Safe Brothers!
I sent some photos in, the email bounced back from Jeff’s inbox. Let me know if you guys didn’t get them at all.
Thanks
Rhett
A water can WILL not prevent Flashover! it may slow it for about 3 seconds and carring that thing will slow YOU down. We need to get better at reading smoke/situations and risk vs benefit. “Work smarter not harder” is my sayin’
The water can is there for protection, usually because those on the truck are searching in front of, or without the hoseline. The water can will hold a fire if used correctly. That could be the difference between a 1 room burn or 2 and 3 rooms. Also, if we train on searching with the can we will become better and faster.
Chuck,
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   Your interest is a very contentious subject. In fact, throughout the years, it has been a controversial topic for many organizations that haggle over this tactical debate with the intentions of providing the most applicable safety for their firefighters. Honestly, are we really doing so? Well, I’m not going to be the power of suggestion or the mediator that you’re looking for; however, I will innocuously allocate my personal perspectives on this subject.Â
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 Therefore, allow me to endeavor into this vast subject of controversy. I tend to believe that this dragging a hose line while conducting a search is a mere misconception on the concept of search and rescue operations. We don’t necessarily need a hand line with us while searching for victims. We just need an engine crew leading out hose lines in the building simultaneously as we enter to commence a search.
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 Furthermore, carrying a hose line while conducting a search can considerably impede our progress in attempting to locate a victim who may require rescue. We all know that time is of the essence when it comes to commencing a search and with the intentions of rescuing someone. Why would it make sense to have another obstacle to negotiate and diminish the hands of time even more expeditiously? Hey, I’ve always taken a stance that the buildings contents and staying oriented are enough to contend with during a search. Not to mention, maintaining search crew continuity with all the other factors involved is enduring enough without another additional burden to contend with.
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 What about the concept of fatigue? To briefly reiterate on my last statement; dragging a hose throughout any building is a task within itself and not effortlessly performed. Any firefighter, who spent enough time on an engine; stretching out hose lines, can relate to that depiction. If we’re considering the actuality of tasking them to extract a victim through the structure after struggling with a hose over and around obstacles in the building is a recipe for overexertion; which statistically is a contributing cause for our modern day professions’ injury and fatality rates. Shouldn’t we all agree that certain fire ground functions within our profession are enough to tolerate without performing the duties of another company’s function. Â
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 It seems that this evocative frication of the universal firefighter mentality has preoccupied the minds of many leaders within the fire service and justly needs reevaluation. We’re human beings and not machines! Let’s be realists here!  Why do we strive to overextend the limitations of every individual on a fire incident? Indeed, some organizations don’t have the luxury of an overabundance of personnel that can provide a five-man crew on a single unit to facilitate the strain amongst everyone. So, how do we propose a resolution?
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 When are agencies going to get past the fabrication of using the finance and other expenditures as an excuse? Let’s sacrifice the issue of certain materialistic things within the department budget rather than the “sacrificial lamb theory†of another brother or sister during their duties inconsiderately. Let’s put the agency’s emphasis towards the manpower to provide a safer and more efficient mode of operation. Hopefully, this will alleviate our concerns about overexerting crews on the fire ground and redirect the focus back upon what matters most – the longevity and safety of the firefighters who are forced to perform a multitude of tasks beyond their personal limits!Â
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  Here’s another pertinent consideration! What would we do with the hose line if we found a victim? Do we leave it or do we take it with us? Well, if we leave it – Great! But, it’s highly doubtful we’ll find it where we last dropped it for other crews to continue search progress because another company may have obtained it for firefighting. And on the other side of the coin, what if we take it with us while we’re extracting the victim from the building. Wouldn’t we tend to think that this could leave us struggling with the hose on the way out and slowing us down or even potentially causing a separation of the crewmembers?
Hey, I know carrying a hose line with you while conducting a search may have some beneficial quirks that anyone can convey. But, realistically speaking – it’s an excellent tool for firefighter safety; however, it’s not practical for a search teams who are proceeding onward to salvage the life of a victim.
 Also, they’re too many variables to consider and scenarios to fathom, but one particular fixation is for certain – to increase the odds of survival for us, as firefighters, and the victims are the elements of time! So, let’s ponder that issue when we consider implementing or mandating search crews drag a hose line with them. Share the burden with the other respective personnel.
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Stay safe!
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Darrell Â
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i stand and applaud you Darrell. very well said. thanks for your input.
Holy Hell Darrell, well put thesis… I suspect the “powers that be” in most jurisdictions would require a translator to dumb that down to the 3rd grade level!! HAHA!!
Be safe Brothers.
Darrell, outstanding!! Your input was well thought out, and to the point.
This says it all: “it’s and excellent tool for firefighter safety; however, it’s not practical for a search teams who are proceeding onward to salvage the life of a victim.”
This is precisely our approach at CFD. We are aggressive with regards to truck company searches, and fully appreciate the need to be as fast & efficient as possible. The hoseline has its purpose, but in this case, it would cause more harm than good for the search team. There are already so many unknowns to hinder our search progress as it is, so I would not want any of us to contribute to that problem…for our sake.
Great input Brothers! Stay Safe:)
Would also like to see unusual scenarios presented.
An example is rolling up on a fire alarm in the early morning and having a good fire on 2 of 3 floors with 1 window in the front 3rd floor as well as the rear 3rd floor and a door on the first. There is a man behind those bars on the 3rd floor and the bars are deeply cemented into the building as well as an inch thick solid steel. Your only tools are a set of irons, and a porta power. You obviously wont be getting through the bars and the fires moving in on the 3rd floor quickly. 2 crew members are pushing in from the 1st floor and are getting nowhere.
What do you do until more help arrives?
Things we never expect.
hey yall i am going to put on training for my volunteer fire department of Vent Enter Search, and was woundering if any one could give me some information on to to do it all in class and all the materials. yall can e-mail me at j.wilson@esterfire.org thanks every one
How about a topic on how to build forcible entry and vertical ventilation props.