If you’ve been paying attention to the latest news and on the job reports these past few days, you may have noticed there’s been an emerging trend evident in near miss, close-calls resulting in maydays, RIT deployments and self-rescue resulting from floor compromise and floor collapse.
As I was doing some research and posting links related to the first one or two events on Buildingsonfire on Facebook, HERE, it became evident that there was an immediate opportunity to get some learning’s and insights out. If you have a chance head over to Facebook and link into Buildingsonfire and check out the incident profile links posted to date as well as some immediate report links.I’ll be posting some operational safety and awareness insights related to building construction, floor systems and operational integrity in the next few days both here at Firehouse.com and Commandsafety.com. I’ll get a comprehensive list of events and incident parameters compiled and posted also.
In the meantime here are some links I pulled together that you should take the time to read and share with your companies, personnel and staff…..
This seems like a good time to have a ten minute drill on these events as Operating Expeeince (OE) on floor systems and operational safety.
Reference Links for Operational Insights and Operating Experience (OE)
Eleven Minutes to Mayday; What You Need to KnowCareer Engineer Dies and Fire Fighter Injured After Falling Through Floor While Conducting a Primary Search at a Residential Structure Fire – WisconsinVolunteer deputy fire chief dies after falling through floor hole in residential structure during fire attack – IndianaA career captain and a part-time fire fighter die in a residential floor collapse – OhioCareer fire fighter dies after falling through the floor fighting a structure fire at a local residence – OhioCareer lieutenant dies following floor collapse into basement fire and a career fire fighter dies attempting to rescue the career lieutenant – New YorkFloor collapse at commercial structure fire claims the lives of one career lieutenant and one career fire fighter – New YorkFirst-floor collapse during residential basement fire claims the life of two fire fighters (career and volunteer) and injures a career fire fighter captain – New YorkNIOSH Alert: Preventing Injuries and Deaths of Fire Fighters due to Truss System FailuresNIOSH Alert: Preventing Injuries and Deaths of Fire Fighters due to Structural Collapse (1999)Preventing Deaths and Injuries of Fire Fighters Working Above Fire-Damaged FloorsCommandSafety.com: Operational Safety at Basement Fires: Close CallCommandSafety.com: Buffalo, NY Three Alarm Fire and Double LODD ReportCommandSafety.com:Remembering Brackenridge 1991 Floor Collapse and LODDCommandSafety.com:Engineered Structural Systems- Hazards Buildingsonfire on Facebook. Go HERE
Christopher J. Naum
CHRISTOPHER J. NAUM, SFPE a Firehouse® contributing editor, is a 40-year fire service veteran and a national instructor, author, lecturer and fire officer. He is an authority on building construction issues affecting the fire and emergency services and a former fire command officer, architect and fire protection engineer. Naum is a technical consultant and reviewer to the NIOSH firefighter fatality investigation and prevention program, an NFFF Firefighter Safety Advocate and formally served on the Board of Directors of the ISFSI and the IAFC Safety, Health & Survival section and faculty at the National Fire Academy. He was the 1987 ISFSI George D. Post National Fire Instructor Award recipient. Naum is the executive producer of Buildingsonfire.com and FiregroundLeadership.com, sites dedicated to building construction, adaptive fire command and firefighter safety.
