RT-130 Structure Protection - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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RT-130 Structure Protection

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Structure Protection in the wildland urban interface compiled by Red Helmet Training. www.RedHelmetTraining.com – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: RT-130 Structure Protection


1
Structure Protection
  • New Strategies
  • New Concepts

2
What is Structure Protection?
  • LCES (LACES)
  • Triage of the Structure
  • Structure Preparation
  • Mitigating Hazards
  • Defensive Posture

3
Problems with Structure Protection
  • Frontal assault
  • No Anchor Points
  • Limited Escape Routes
  • Limited Safety Zones
  • Limited Resources
  • Limited Water

Many times we are also protecting lives
4
Shout Watch Out
5
The Old Model
  • Needing little or no attention for now
  • Needing protection, but savable
  • Indefensible

6
The New Model
7
WUI Principles
  • Rather than seek ways to protect every
    structure, each structure and location must first
    prove that protection can be provided safely and
    with the assurance of success.
  • California Wildland Fire Working Group in 2007
    after the Esperanza Fire.

8
Fire Behavior Prediction
  • Your LCES and actions must be based on the
    expected fire behavior.
  • What is the fire going to do at 200 p.m. today
    when the fire gets to this house?
  • Have there been any signs of extreme fire
    behavior? This is an indicator that it may be
    time to leave, even if it looks as though the
    house is easily defendable.

9
Extreme Fire Behavior
  • Flames over 10 feet
  • Fire Whirls
  • Spotting
  • Torching
  • Crowning
  • Plume Dominated

10
Extreme Fire Behavior
11
LCES
  • Lookouts
  • Communications
  • Escape Routes
  • Safety Zones

The acronym LCES was originally developed by Paul
Gleason, a crew superintendant on the Zig Zag
Hotshots
12
Give your Crew an A
  • As early as 1994, retired CalFire Deputy Director
    William C. Teie added the letter A to Gleason's
    LCES acronym to formulate a new acronym.
  • Teie's LACES acronym adds Awareness to the
    well-known safety practice. This emphasized the
    need for firefighter awareness regarding fuels,
    weather, topography, fire behavior and an
    understanding of work assignments and other
    operational activities surrounding wildland fires.

13
LACES
14
Lookouts
  • Many times the Company Officer
  • Utilize someone outside the tactics work
  • Strike Team Leader (Assistant or Trainee)
  • A separate or different crew
  • A lookout should have trigger points that will
    need to be relayed to the crew.
  • The trigger points should have meaning

15
Awareness
  • This is the other needed component.
  • Perception is not always reality.
  • Watch for signs of sleep deprivation, exhaustion
    or complacency.
  • You must force yourself to be aware and it must
    be constantly updated, especially if there are
    changes in the conditions.

16
Communications
  • Usually a large factor in many entrapments or
    fatality investigations.
  • Radio Communication Problems
  • Face to Face whenever possible
  • Full Circle Communications
  • Requires repeating back orders and providing
    feedback or asking questions

17
Escape Routes
  • Need to be marked or flagged
  • Must be rapidly or easily traveled
  • Clean up tripping hazards, debris and cut tree
    branches or stumps out of the way
  • Overall distance to safety zone
  • Have everyone in the crew walk it before the fire
    front gets here

18
Safety Zones
  • A pre-planned area of sufficient size and
    suitable location that is expected to protect
    fire personnel from known hazards without using
    fire shelters.
  • Fireline Handbook Page 12

19
Safety Zones
  • The engine will not be damaged
  • No light, window or paint damage
  • Firefighters will not have to deploy shelters
  • Must be large enough to fit all personnel
  • Remember, the formula used in the IRPG does not
    calculate for convective heat (slope or wind) it
    is based on radiant heat to establish safe
    minimum distances

20
Additional Reading on LCES
Click on the Photo
LCES and Other Thoughts By Paul Gleason
Click on the Photo
Give your crews an A By Eric Kurtz
Click on the Photo
The intent of LCES By Brad Mayhew
21
Structure Triage
  • Once LACES has been conducted, the process of
    Structure Triage should begin.
  • Begin sizing up the structure based on the
    construction, design and material used.
  • Flammable material around structure
  • Identify hazards and mitigate them
  • Defensible space and ornamental vegetation

22
Static Size-Up Components
  • Location of the structure (within terrain)
  • Terrain between structure and fire
  • Fuel Bed
  • Defensible Space

23
Non-Static Components
  • Ornamental / Decorative Vegetation
  • Homeowners collection of STUFF
  • Weather Components
  • Gas or LPG / Hazardous Materials
  • Roof Covering / Exterior Siding
  • Access Roads / Bridges

24
Triage Training
  • We have been training on Structure Triage for
    many years, but this is still a problem.

This is a Loser
This is a Winner
25
Whats the Problem?
  • Unfortunately, we know it is not that easy
  • The structures are marginal and not as clear cut
    as the pictures in training.
  • We may also get an emotional attachment knowing
    that it is a persons home

26
Other Factors
  • Crew Situation
  • Experience Level
  • Fatigue
  • Staffing
  • Attitude?
  • Equipment Situation
  • Familiarization
  • Complement

27
Perspective
  • If a strike team leader asks a crew to protect a
    structure, it may be defendable to one crew but
    not to the next.
  • A crew could say it is defendable on one day but
    a loser the next day due to changes in fire
    behavior, crew limitations, fatigue or less water
    or hose than the day before.

28
Rebuilding
  • One thing that has been learned from past
    experience on structure fires, especially when
    dealing with commercial structures is that the
    building can be rebuilt and it is usually bigger
    and better than before.
  • We need to learn to Go Defensive during
    wildland structure protection

29
Valuables
  • If a firefighter dies while trying to protect a
    home, the homeowner will quickly lose sight of
    the valuables inside.
  • It will not matter if the home burns to the
    ground or survives if they have a memorial site
    on their front lawn.

30
Refusing Risk
  • Two of the four new descriptive terms allows the
    fire officer to understand that some structures
    are not defendable.
  • The concept that officers (or firefighters) have
    the right and duty to say NO is counter
    intuitive but it must be done if it is based on
    criteria that is not safe to act

31
How to properly refuse risk
  • Every individual has the right and obligation to
    report safety problems and contribute ideas
    regarding their safety. Supervisors are expected
    to give these concerns serious consideration.
  • When an individual feels an assignment is unsafe
    they also have the obligation to identify, to the
    degree possible, safe alternatives for completing
    that assignment.
  • Turning down an assignment is one possible
    outcome of managing risk.

32
A Turn Down
  • A turn down is a situation where an individual
    has determined they cannot undertake an
    assignment as given and they are unable to
    negotiate an alternative solution.
  • The turn down of an assignment must be based on
    an assessment of risks and the ability of the
    individual or organization to control those risks.

33
Reasons
  • There is a violation of safe work practices.
  • Environmental conditions make the work unsafe.
  • They lack the necessary qualifications or
    experience.
  • Defective equipment is being used.
  • The individual directly informs their supervisor
    they are turning down the assignment as given.
  • Use the criteria outlined in the Risk Management
    Process to document the turn down.
  • (Firefighting Orders, Watch Out Situations, etc.)

34
Procedure
  • The supervisor notifies the Safety Officer
    immediately upon being informed of the turn down.
    If there is no Safety Officer, the appropriate
    Section Chief or the Incident Commander should be
    notified.
  • This provides accountability for decisions and
    initiates communication of safety concerns within
    the incident organization.
  • If the supervisor asks another resource to
    perform the assignment, they are responsible to
    inform the new resource that the assignment was
    turned down and the reasons why it was turned
    down.

35
Risk Analysis not Triage
  • Risk vs. Gain Model
  • Life before property
  • Refusal of Risk
  • Everyone has a voice!
  • Confidence
  • Competency
  • Fire Behavior

36
Defensible Space
  • A lack of preparation on your part, does not
    constitute an emergency on my part
  • Use a disaster preparedness model.
  • Pre-Plan
  • Weed Abatement
  • Firewise

37
The Four Categories
  • Defensible
  • Stand Alone
  • Prep and Hold
  • Indefensible
  • Prep and Leave
  • Rescue Drive By

38
Stand Alone
  • Structure requires little or no attention
  • No structure in the path of a wildland fire is
    truly without the need of protection
  • It may require patrolling by fire apparatus, law
    enforcement or the homeowner
  • The homeowner may shelter in place

39
Prepare and Hold
  • This is the structure that has a higher
    probability of ignition without firefighter
    intervention and protection.
  • There must be a safety zone for the crew,
  • as well as the apparatus.
  • LACES must be completed for the property based on
    expected fire behavior

40
Prep and Leave!
  • No Safety Zone for firefighters or apparatus
  • There must be adequate time to prepare the
    structure before the fire front arrival
  • Firefighters will perform only minimal mitigation
    efforts then retreat back to their designated
    safety zone.
  • Once the fire front has passed, return to the
    structure and save property if possible.

41
Mitigation Efforts
  • Moving lawn furniture or other small combustibles
    away from the structure
  • Shut off the gas or propane
  • Applying CAF, Foam or Gel
  • This does not mean brush clearance, tree trimming
    or moving firewood piles.
  • Pre-Incident preparation and defensible space are
    the homeowners responsibility

42
Rescue Drive By
  • Life Safety is our 1 priority
  • People unable to evacuate
  • Latch Key Children
  • Disabled People
  • This is what Rescue Drive-By is all about
  • Knock and get them out of the area

43
Life Safety
  • People wait too long before evacuating.
  • Many people have been injured or killed.
  • Ready Set Go
  • is the new buzz when it comes to evacuation

44
Life Safety
45
(No Transcript)
46
The Old Fire
47
Ready, Set, Go
  • This is a new campaign to have the public become
    more prepared for a wildland fire in the
    interface which may threaten their home.
  • Uses disaster preparedness models such as
  • pre-planning, networking and checklists

Ready, Set, Go Video 2
Ready, Set, Go Video 1
Ready, Set, Go Brochure
48
The Basics
  • The basics of structure triage and structure
    protection still apply.
  • We just need to apply it in a better fashion and
    go in with our eyes wide open.

Click on the Photo for the Triage /
Protection Class Handout
49
Triage
  • Take time to evaluate water needs versus
    availability.
  • Recon safety zones and escape routes.
  • Is the structure defendable based on
    construction, topography and fire behavior?
  • Are flammable vegetation and debris cleared
    within a reasonable distance?
  • Give a fair evaluation of the safety risk to crew
    and equipment.
  • Evaluate the values at stake vs. resources
    available. Dont waste time on the losers.

50
Protection
  • Park engines backed in so a rapid exit can be
    made if necessary.
  • Remain in communication with crew and adjoining
    forces.
  • On occasions when you are overrun by fire, use
    apparatus or structures as a refuge.
  • Tank water should not get below 50 gallons for
    crew protection
  • Engines should keep headlights on, outside
    speakers turned up and windows closed.
  • Coil a charged 1 ½ hoseline at the engine for
    protection of your crew and equipment.
  • Try not to lay hose more than 150 from your
    engine.
  • It is important to keep apparatus mobile for
    maximum effectiveness.
  • Only use water as needed and refrain from wetting
    ahead of fire
  • Never sacrifice crew safety to save property.

51
Pre-Planning
52
The MAST Plan
  • Mountain Area Safety Taskforce
  • Hazard Areas (High and Extreme)
  • Pre-determined safety refuge areas
  • Other logistical points on map
  • Does not give tactical advice, just helps with
    pre-planning for safer tactics

53
Map Legend
54
Hazard Areas
55
Map Overview Example
56
Area Map Example
Helispot
Refuge Area
Staging Area
Fire Hydrant
57
Other Information
  • Safety Briefing Information
  • Apparatus and Equipment Notes
  • Staging Area Information
  • Safety Refuge Areas
  • Special Hazard Areas
  • Helispot / Helibase Information

Crest Forest Fire District Structure
Protection Safety Plan
To see an example click on the graphic
58
The SOLAR Plan
59
Communications Plan
60
Common Maps
61
Common Maps
62
Common Maps
63
Fire Behavior Safety Information
64
Strategies
65
New Strategies
  • Defensive vs. Offensive
  • If your escape route involves outrunning the
    fire, it is not an escape route.

66
Structure as a Refuge
  • Many structures are still standing after fire
    burns through area.
  • Radiant heat will not usually ignite homes more
    than 100 ft. away
  • Heat that will give us a second degree burn takes
    25 minutes to ignite a structure.

67
Bump and Run
  • The problem with bump and run is just that, you
    are pulling up to a house right before the flame
    front hits and not allowing enough time to triage
    or prepare the structure.
  • As soon as the flame front passes, you run to
    protect the next house from burning.

68
Rushing In
  • Many times other units had been assigned to that
    house earlier in the fire assignment with
    adequate time to triage the structure.
  • They should be the ones there to defend it, but
    as the fire moves, units get reassigned.
  • They may have even written it off as a loser and
    we rush in not knowing
  • Three Stripes Your Out

For more information on the Three Stripes Your
Out training program Go to the power-point in
the resources folder on this CD or on Target
Safety
69
Rushing Out
  • We leave the structure in a hurry to the next
    one, lower on water and out of breath, with the
    hose wrapped up on the engine.
  • Many times we believe we saved the structure, but
    it ends up burning to the ground from a small
    ember or spot fire.

70
Patrolling
  • Come back after the fire burns through.
  • Most houses are lost
  • by ember production not radiant heat
  • Use brush patrol units
  • Mop up as you go.
  • Conduct search and rescue efforts if needed

71
Anchor and Hold
  • Big Fire Big Water
  • Deck Gun Operations
  • Use a selectable GPM and stream nozzle
  • Must have a reliable Hydrant System
  • Conflagration Fires
  • San Bernardino City

72
Anchor Hold Video
73
(No Transcript)
74
E
E
75
E
76
E
E
E
E
77
No Anchor Hold Performed Here
78
Other Concepts / Issues
  • Firing
  • Pre-Treating
  • Fireline Explosives
  • Private Fire Protection
  • Politics

79
Pre-firing
  • Fire out in small sections.
  • Put the fire out while you can manage it.
  • Strip Fire
  • Ring Fire

80
Strip Fire
81
Ring Fire
82
Pre-Treatment
  • Foam
  • CAFs
  • Wrap
  • Fire Gel

83
Foam
84
Protective Wrap
85
Fire Gel
86
Fireline Explosives
  • Fireline explosives were first used on a fire by
    the Los Padres Hot Shots in 1975.
  • Rolled from spools as a sausage-like hose, the
    linear explosive is composed of an emulsion
    jelly.
  • The demise of tactical F.L.E. in recent years has
    resulted from increased manpower availability and
    stringent purchasing, transportation and usage
    regulations.

87
Private Fire Protection
88
AIG Rapid Response
  • AIG and other home insurance companies have
    employed these private companies for structure
    protection.
  • They use therma-gel, CAFS or Phos-chek on the
    structures

89
Issues
  • They are not a life safety agency
  • Do not have Common Communication
  • They wear uniforms and their trucks are red with
    red lights and sirens
  • Accountability and Possibly Freelancing

90
Only you can prevent Forest Fires?
91
Powerpoint TrainingCompiled byRed Helmet
Training
  • www.RedHelmetTraining.com
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