The loss of firefighter/paramedic Bret Tarver at the Southwest Supermarket on March 14, 2001 sparked many changes in the Phoenix Fire Department.
Tarver died after running out of air from his self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and becoming disoriented inside the burning supermarket.
It took crews over 40 minutes to remove Tarver from the building because of number of hindrances, including: limited visibility, heat conditions and warehouse obstructions. Tarver's physical size and debris that entangled his PPE posed additional challenges for crews.
Firefighters involved in Tarver's removal dealt with low air supplies due to the size of the structure.
Following the fire, Chief Alan Brunacini created a committee to review the operations at the fire and the department's existing policies.
The result was a 100-page report that was released a year later that outlined lessons learned and created recommendations for the department.
Lessons learned include:
- The window of survivability is directly related to the firefighters’ SCBA air supply.
- Operating in a large commercial building with very little visibility is very dangerous.
- All firefighters must have a portable radio.
- Self-survival skills are critical for firefighters.
- Search vs. Rescue, each may require a separate plan and separate crews.
- Command Officers must be assigned to manage sectors early in offensive strategies.
- The Risk Management plan of the Phoenix Fire Department must be reinforced at every incident.
- On large incidents, Command must use multiple radio channels to assist in managing radio traffic.
- All companies operating on the fireground should have a Thermal Imaging Camera (TIC).
- Companies should receive air management training.
- The Shift Commanders and Battalion Chiefs must have an activate role in Battalion training.
Recommendations include:
- Tactical Staffing Reinforcements
- 56-Hour On-Duty Safety Battalion Chiefs
- Battalion Training Personnel
- SCBA Improvements & Communications
- Fallen Firefighter Harness
- Accountability Name Decals
Get the full report here.
