Auto Fire On A Sloping Driveway
(courtesy of firefighterhourly.com)
Auto fires provide their own unique challenges but one rarely discussed in fire service literature is location. Granted, if the location is a tunnel there's a body of material. Yet, one of the most common scenarios is overlooked.
Engine 15 receives a call to 191 Nelson Court. Upon arrival the first due finds a car with heavy fire showing. There are numerous things going through the first due officers mind but one often overlooked, by the officer and apparatus operator, is the location of the apparatus.
Countless times the apparatus is parked exactly where the photographer is in this photograph. In short, the apparatus is positioned poorly.
If the car in the foreground is burning and flammable liquids begin to leak they will seek lower ground. The run off will lead straight to the engine or ladder.
Like real estate, apparatus positioning is about one thing: Location, location, location.
Auto fires provide their own unique challenges but one rarely discussed in fire service literature is location. Granted, if the location is a tunnel there's a body of material. Yet, one of the most common scenarios is overlooked.
Engine 15 receives a call to 191 Nelson Court. Upon arrival the first due finds a car with heavy fire showing. There are numerous things going through the first due officers mind but one often overlooked, by the officer and apparatus operator, is the location of the apparatus.
Countless times the apparatus is parked exactly where the photographer is in this photograph. In short, the apparatus is positioned poorly.
If the car in the foreground is burning and flammable liquids begin to leak they will seek lower ground. The run off will lead straight to the engine or ladder.
Like real estate, apparatus positioning is about one thing: Location, location, location.
To discuss -- How do you position your apparatus at highway incidents? For protection? To ease traffic flow? At multi unit stations is there an order on what your response order is leaving the station? Are cones and flares enough to take a lane while the Rescue Company is working?
Unfortunately it is all too often that we don't take the time to position properly (for our protection) on highway incidents. All you need is a ten minute shift discussion to discuss apparatus response order and positioning... ten minutes thats all!
5 comments:
Another thing to take into consideration... positioning and attack angle. Is there anyway to keep the vehicle where it is? A car left in neutral can loose the emergency brake. We stablize for vehicle extrication, why not car fires? What does your company do to keep vehicles that are on fire where they are? You definitly don't want the vehicle rolling towards you or the apparatus.
we stabilize if possible during auto fires to prevent a vehicle from rolling.
I remember running a fire in the engine compartment causing the starter to short out and the auto lurching through the parking lot of the Merrifield Plaza. It had a manual transmission for anyone that remembers those.
Take care, Be safe
Steve Hartman, Retired, FXCO
great example of everday calls most of us don't think twice about
It never hurts to chock the wheels. Manual transmission vehicles are famous for hopping down the street when the starter shorts during a fire. After chasing the first or second, you start to make chocking an everyday habit. Apparatus chocks or metro chocks work well or you can flatten the tires. Fire attack crews should avoid standing directly in front or in back of a vehicle on fire for the reason listed, but also to avoid exploding shock absorbing bumbers. As well, the sides are dangerous because tires and split rims can blow out. Operating from the corner areas is best. Use the effective reach of the hose stream to keep your distance as much as possible. Apparatus should be offset from the vehicle in question to protect from flying debris, movement, etc. When apparatus is at the bottom of the hill and the car is at the top of the hill, stay off set and consider runoff. Sometimes flaming gasoline or contaminants can travel on the water runoff in the direction of apparatus.
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