I became a fire lieutenant in 1979. Responding on one of my first daytime fires with minimum manpower, I arrived first. There was a fire in the rear of the first floor of a house, with extension to the second floor. Smoke was pushing from the eaves and I was the only officer on the scene. As the first engine arrived, I directed the first hoseline to the rear, where the crew extinguished the fire. I sent the second hoseline to the second floor, where the fire extension was stopped. It seemed easy, but there was a lot to consider as the officer in command - checking for extension, investigation, overhaul and coverage in an empty firehouse.
Years later, when I was fire chief, we were checking out an electrical problem. After we took care of the problem, I was talking with the homeowner, who was quite worried about whether her home would be OK. Just then, one of my firefighters said over the radio, for all to hear, "Can we take up? My steak is getting cold." I was embarrassed.
It takes all kinds, and it takes all kinds of responsibility when you move up the chain of command. My 12 years as chief ended in 2000. Since then, I've been a firefighter, lieutenant and captain, and I just became assistant fire chief. Now that I may be first or second in command again, I will use what I learned during my first 12 years as chief and all the years since. Keeping the troops safe and alive will be the first priority.
In this issue, we feature an article by Battalion Chief Mark Emery on "The Ten Command-ments of Intelligent & Safe Fireground Operations." Among these are having a competent incident commander, keeping teams of two personnel together and checking all four sides of the structure. As older buildings are converted, you may not know what was removed to make room for storage bins and just as important what is stored in them. It is a doubly dangerous situation that has already killed firefighters.
In a special interview, Firefighter Jeff Cool - recently retired from the FDNY Rescue Company 3 due to the injuries he suffered on Black Sunday two years ago - discusses his plans to educate firefighters and politicians to the need for descending rope devices for all firefighters. As one of four who survived while two others died that fateful day, Cool tells it like it is. See the interview on page 18.
Speaking of close calls, Chief Billy Goldfeder's column covers an incident in which a firefighter was nearly in big trouble when her airpack shut off during an offensive attack in a mobile home. Because she followed proper procedures, only some gear and hose had to be replaced, not a firefighter. In Memphis, TN, two three-alarm fires - one sparked by the other -— gave firefighters a tough time. A fully involved church and a large downtown building lit up the southern sky. Many problems had to be overcome and there were many lessons learned.
Our January issue featured Robert Burke's Hazmat Studies column titled "Hydrogen Cyanide: The Real Killer Among Fire Gases," which noted that Cyanokit, a highly successful cyanide antidote being used in France, was not available in the U.S. at the time. Just after we went to press with that issue, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Cyanokit containing the drug hydroxocobalamin for intravenous administration in the United States. Robert reports the good news that approval of Cyanokit gives emergency medical personnel another tool in treating firefighters and other victims of smoke inhalation who have been poisoned by cyanide as the result of a fire.
