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Making Search Safer
Part 2
In the last issue of Fire Nuggets, we discussed the inherent hazards of primary search, and the effect of drafts and ventilation on fire development. In this issue, we will discuss some ways to make primary search as safe as possible. Generally speaking, the degree of risk searching firefighters face varies with the stage and speed of fire development. For example, a fire in the incipient stage or early growth stage in a room with light fire loading is clearly much less hazardous than a fire in the late smoldering stage, which is subject to a smoke explosion. Similarly, a fire in the late, free-burning stage is especially hazardous to enter because of the looming potential of a flashover. A primary search under these conditions would probably be limited to the immediate area around the entry door with control of the door paramount. The degree of risk, then, is dependent, in part, on the search team’s ability to read the signs of fire development, judge what stage the fire is in, and adjust the search accordingly. For a detailed discussion of reading the signs of fire development, see “Search in the Modern Environment,” Fire Engineering, July, 1999.
Remember that the speed of fire development can be controlled by the amount of oxygen available to the fire. Fire needs oxygen to live. It seeks oxygen, it feeds on it, and it will travel great distances for it. When the flow of oxygen is slowed, the speed of fire development is also delayed. Moreover, fire creates pressure. The fire creates a high pressure zone in the fire room. The hot buoyant gases push out in every direction. These gases are blocked by walls, floors, the ceiling, and intact windows. The gases in this high-pressure zone will seek an area of low pressure, i.e. a vent opening. If the fire is venting out a window and the entry door is forced, the discharging pressure will draw oxygen in and rapidly increase the speed of fire development. That is why coordinated (ventilation when a hoseline is ready) is so important. It allows the high-pressure zone to safely discharge to the low pressure zone (the outside atmosphere) it is seeking. Controlling the amount of oxygen available to the fire is one way of buying time during a primary search.
Before initiating a primary search, make sure that the fire isn’t below you. As a rule, the initial search should begin on the fire floor. However, it is not uncommon for search teams to inadvertently begin their search on the floor above the fire in smoky conditions. This is especially true of basement fires. If the building is showing smoke from all floors, don’t assume that the fire is on the first floor. It could be in the basement. In hilly locations, check the rear to see if there is a grade where the fire could be burning below.
If the floor above the fire must be searched, make sure there is a hose line stretched and in operation on the fire floor. Several years ago, three New York City firefighters from Ladder 5 (Capt. John Drennan, and Ff’s Jim Young and Chris Seidenberg) were killed on the stair landing above the fire. This happened when flames from the fire apartment below engulfed the stairs after the entry door was forced and the skylight above was opened. It appears that a draft condition was set up by two vent openings. In this unfortunate case, the two trucks on the assignment arrived first and were operating prior to the arrival of an engine company. Whenever possible, coordinate search with a hoseline, especially when going above the fire.
Begin any search by doing a door size-up. Is the entry door locked, unlocked, open or ajar? Is the interior chain latch still engaged? This information can give you an idea of whether or not there is a person(s) inside. Feel the door. If it is hot, the fire is close to the door or in a late stage of development. If the door is warm, the fire may be in its early stages or in a room that is some distance from the entry door. Can flame be seen through the edges of the door?
If these indicators point to a fire that is close to the door, be sure to maintain control of the door during forcible entry. Have a means of re-closing the door after it is forced. This is a situation where primary search from this position may have to be curtailed until a hoseline is brought to bare on the fire. In general, the safest primary search is one conducted to the left or right of an advancing hoseline. When the engine is at the door, let them move into the apartment first, and drive the fire back. Then enter the apartment and search off the hoseline, covering all areas to the left and right. The hoseline itself and the sound of the water provide a point of orientation that allows for and rapid, aggressive search. When there is a hoseline working in the apartment, it is usually safe to ventilate as you go.
When there is no hoseline available, the game changes. Greater caution is warranted. Never pass fire when you are searching unless you can isolate it by closing a door. If this can’t be done, the use of a water extinguisher can sometimes contain the fire. Pass fire only if you can successfully knock it down with the water extinguisher. Even in this case, be wary of a rekindle that could trap you.
While searching, constantly monitor the conditions in and around you and be wary of any changes in the smoke or heat level. If the smoke quickly darkens or pushes down, get out immediately. By the same token, if the heat level increases rapidly, start moving back to the door. Remember that advances in turnout gear and SCBA insulate us against heat better than ever before. It allows firefighters to penetrate more deeply into structure fires. However, our gear is not made of asbestos. It will burn and will not protect you in a flashover. You must have a reliable way to size up the heat level as you search. Otherwise you may get a false sense of security and penetrate too deeply to what Chief Vinny Dunn calls “the point of no return.” Look up frequently as you search to see what’s going on over your head. Be on the look out for rollover. If you see an orange glow, or fingers of flame overhead in the smoke, you’re in too deep and need to get out immediately. If your face piece appears to be softening or the air in your SCBA is getting warmer, you are in too deep. Any victim in the room without turnouts and SCBA will not survive in those conditions anyway.
Always maintain you orientation during search. There are several ways to do this: keep in contact with a wall, count the corners of the room as you go, leave an extra flashlight or warning device at the door, or use a search rope. Perhaps the best way to do this is to station a member at the door who maintains voice contact and monitors fire development outside the room being searched. This member acts as an audible tether for the members moving through the room. If his voice gets softer, you are moving further away. If it is getting louder, you’re moving closer to the point where you entered, etc. If there is a problem inside the room, this member can come and assist. If there is a problem outside the room being searched, he/she can notify you.
If there is no member at the entry door, the door is normally chocked open so that it is readily apparent in a smoky environment when you have returned to the point of entry. However, as discussed in the previous issue, fire will often spread rapidly toward a vent opening, especially if there is cross ventilation at play, and that vent opening can be the open entry door. If this occurs, your means of egress can be cut off. Therefore, if a member is left at the entry door, he/she has the option of closing it and slowing the flow of oxygen, which, in turn, will decrease the speed of fire development. The slower the fire develops, the more time you have to complete the primary search. There are several options to keep the door closed, but ajar. One is to throw the deadbolt. Engaging the deadbolt limits the draft, but prevents the door from closing entirely. Another option is to use a chock or tool to wedge the door open slightly.
Some firefighters feel more secure with the door open because there is a sense of closer contact with other members operating outside in the hall. However, it can be safer to keep control of the door in the chocked closed position. Having a member at the door provides for real safety. Leaving a tool or light at the outside of the door can also serve to alert other members of your presence. However, when you do this, realize that you will lose the use of it, so it can be a good idea to carry an extra flashlight or tool in with you.
Do not search alone. Freelancing is becoming a problem on the fireground. Inexperienced members often don’t realize how quickly things can change in the modern, synthetic fire environment. It may seem as though conditions are controlled and safe, but that can change in seconds. Searching alone takes a dangerous situation and ups the ante. Always work as a team, set your PASS alarm, and be sure that an officer is either with you or is aware of your location at all times. In the same vein, company officers should avoid beginning a primary search without letting the incident commander know the company’s location. The incident commander should know where you will be searching. This enables him to monitor conditions, watch your back, and send help if you need it.
Search is a dangerous but potentially rewarding part of firefighting. While it is not often possible to control the fire conditions, caution and safe search techniques can enable firefighters to make the job safer.
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