Central PA Bravest
April 1, 2012
A Few Thoughts for the Chief Officer of the Volunteer House
by Gary R. Ryman
There are rules, and then there are rules. Here are some I've tried, not always successfully, to follow.
Ryman’s Rules: A Volunteer Chief’s Philosophy
1. You are responsible. You are responsible 365 days a year, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. If you are there or 3,000 miles away. You are responsible. You can delegate authority, but not responsibility.
2. The chief is always right. Invite input, debate, etc. from the officers. However, once the decision is made, that’s it. In public, the officers must show solidarity.
3. The officers are always right. If an officer makes a decision you disagree with, in public or with the other firefighters, that decision was right. You talk about what you would have done differently in private.
4. Delegate, delegate, and delegate. You can’t be involved in every activity, nor should you be. Give the junior officers responsibilities and hold them accountable. If they follow through, give them more and more. If they don’t, let them know about it and don’t give them any additional work.
5. Try to develop a command presence. Your presence at an emergency should send a message to the firefighters that everything is going to be okay. Regardless of how badly something is going, try to maintain a calm exterior. Motivate your people. This is done differently for each individual. If you give an order or tell them to get into a building, they should totally believe that you believe they can do it. Never tell a firefighter to do something you wouldn’t or couldn’t do yourself. Chiefs give orders on incomplete information regularly. Even if you have doubts about it, give the order as if you are 100% confident about it. Your confidence is a force multiplier.
6. Let them have fun. Nobody is getting paid for this. The younger guys have to enjoy themselves. At the same time, know when to pull in the reins, and when you do, jerk them hard. They still have to be professionals. You can’t be their buddy anymore. You are the man, and they have to recognize it as such.
7. Pace of change. Keep them sullen but not mutinous. The pace of change has to be fast enough that the young guys see progress, but not so fast that the dinosaurs get riled up. As long as both groups are slightly unhappy, you’re doing fine.
8. Don’t be afraid to piss somebody off. If you’re not pissing somebody off once in a while, you’re not doing your job.
9. Encourage training certifications. Push the guys to get their Firefighter 1 and other certificates. The time is fast coming when what you are able to do, and what positions you can hold in a fire department virtually anywhere will be determined by these certificates. At the same time, work to keep things in perspective. Firefighter 1 or 2 does not equal “super firefighter”.
10. Develop junior officers. The greatest legacy a chief can have is by the officers he leaves behind.
Showing posts with label central pa bravest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label central pa bravest. Show all posts
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Friday, March 2, 2012
Gary Talks Grocery Store Fires at Central PA Bravest
Central PA Bravest
March 1, 2012
Grocery Store Fires - Not Just Bread, Butter and Beans
by Gary R. Ryman
Milk, eggs, coffee; the next time you visit the local grocery store, look up from your list at this common occupancy and the fire suppression issues presented. Grocery stores are carrying a wider variety of merchandise in bigger quantities than every before. Beyond food items, there is lighter fluid, motor oil, Styrofoam cups and plates, and other high fire challenge commodities. In larger stores, stock values exceeding ten million dollars are not unusual. Generally in a fully sprinklered grocery store, a fire would be expected to be quickly controlled by sprinklers, usually five heads or less. There are, however, a few areas of these stores which can cause some interesting challenges for firefighters.
Rear stockrooms are becoming smaller and more congested. The trend toward increased sales space and smaller support areas increases the density of storage and fire challenge in these areas, and periods right after a delivery will be the worst. This can make reaching the seat of a stock room fire far more difficult. In addition, it could result in delays in controlling utilities, as electrical panels and access to the switchgear which are typically located here may be obstructed.
The front canopy of many stores appears like an innocuous cover for shopping carts and sale flyers and a place to display a large sign or insignia for the store brand. In many cases, the interior is plywood, resulting in a sizeable combustible concealed space attached to the main store. The strip center stores in which many grocery stores are present, have similarly constructed canopies. Few of these are provided with sprinkler protection. Fires can be ignited by lights, signs, or other electrical ignition sources, and are not uncommon. If there are openings between the rear of the canopy and the main store, fire can and will spread into the main store. Even if cut off by a rated separation, extensive smoke can be expected in areas of the store. Extensive opening up of the canopy front, and from below is critical for water application along with interior crews to check the extension of fire into the store.
Reaching this area inside the store can be difficult, particularly in smoky conditions. Most stores have not easily located stairwells to this level. Offices, break rooms, and similar support areas are usually present along a corridor adjacent to the canopy. Some older stores have walkways or catwalks with observation posts for Security personnel. Others have extensive storage of seasonal displays and similar items, increasing access difficulties. At a minimum, an Engine and Truck company should be assigned to this area and a thermal imaging camera can be invaluable. The on duty store manager can provide timely assistance in locating the stairway, and providing some information on the layout which will be encountered.
As with many public occupancies, search can be challenging. Each aisle should be quickly covered. Don’t forget restrooms; not easily located in many stores, which you know if you’ve ever needed to use one while shopping. Food preparation areas around the perimeter walls such as bakeries, deli, and the like also need to be checked along with the rear stock area.
As in any commercial structure, the sprinkler protection is your best friend. Ensure that one of the first arriving engines ties into the fire department connection to supplement the system. Make sure sprinkler control valves are open and don’t close them prematurely.
Smoke removal by the standard methods is important. Beyond the life safety implications, overall damage can be reduced by prompt ventilation.
If power needs to be cut for an extended period, refrigeration will be down. Salvage covers or tarps over the open case freezers commonly found in stores can help reduce the temperature increases in these units and improve salvage potential.
Grocery store fires can present some interesting challenges. The layout can differ from store to store even within the same chain, so don’t assume one is identical to another. Familiarity increases the likelihood of a safe and successful operation. Pre-incident knowledge of your first due grocery stores can help make a fire there into a bread and butter incident.
March 1, 2012
Grocery Store Fires - Not Just Bread, Butter and Beans
by Gary R. Ryman
Milk, eggs, coffee; the next time you visit the local grocery store, look up from your list at this common occupancy and the fire suppression issues presented. Grocery stores are carrying a wider variety of merchandise in bigger quantities than every before. Beyond food items, there is lighter fluid, motor oil, Styrofoam cups and plates, and other high fire challenge commodities. In larger stores, stock values exceeding ten million dollars are not unusual. Generally in a fully sprinklered grocery store, a fire would be expected to be quickly controlled by sprinklers, usually five heads or less. There are, however, a few areas of these stores which can cause some interesting challenges for firefighters.
Rear stockrooms are becoming smaller and more congested. The trend toward increased sales space and smaller support areas increases the density of storage and fire challenge in these areas, and periods right after a delivery will be the worst. This can make reaching the seat of a stock room fire far more difficult. In addition, it could result in delays in controlling utilities, as electrical panels and access to the switchgear which are typically located here may be obstructed.
The front canopy of many stores appears like an innocuous cover for shopping carts and sale flyers and a place to display a large sign or insignia for the store brand. In many cases, the interior is plywood, resulting in a sizeable combustible concealed space attached to the main store. The strip center stores in which many grocery stores are present, have similarly constructed canopies. Few of these are provided with sprinkler protection. Fires can be ignited by lights, signs, or other electrical ignition sources, and are not uncommon. If there are openings between the rear of the canopy and the main store, fire can and will spread into the main store. Even if cut off by a rated separation, extensive smoke can be expected in areas of the store. Extensive opening up of the canopy front, and from below is critical for water application along with interior crews to check the extension of fire into the store.
Reaching this area inside the store can be difficult, particularly in smoky conditions. Most stores have not easily located stairwells to this level. Offices, break rooms, and similar support areas are usually present along a corridor adjacent to the canopy. Some older stores have walkways or catwalks with observation posts for Security personnel. Others have extensive storage of seasonal displays and similar items, increasing access difficulties. At a minimum, an Engine and Truck company should be assigned to this area and a thermal imaging camera can be invaluable. The on duty store manager can provide timely assistance in locating the stairway, and providing some information on the layout which will be encountered.
As with many public occupancies, search can be challenging. Each aisle should be quickly covered. Don’t forget restrooms; not easily located in many stores, which you know if you’ve ever needed to use one while shopping. Food preparation areas around the perimeter walls such as bakeries, deli, and the like also need to be checked along with the rear stock area.
As in any commercial structure, the sprinkler protection is your best friend. Ensure that one of the first arriving engines ties into the fire department connection to supplement the system. Make sure sprinkler control valves are open and don’t close them prematurely.
Smoke removal by the standard methods is important. Beyond the life safety implications, overall damage can be reduced by prompt ventilation.
If power needs to be cut for an extended period, refrigeration will be down. Salvage covers or tarps over the open case freezers commonly found in stores can help reduce the temperature increases in these units and improve salvage potential.
Grocery store fires can present some interesting challenges. The layout can differ from store to store even within the same chain, so don’t assume one is identical to another. Familiarity increases the likelihood of a safe and successful operation. Pre-incident knowledge of your first due grocery stores can help make a fire there into a bread and butter incident.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Gary talks Rural Water 101 at Central PA Bravest
Central PA Bravest
February 24, 2012
Rural Water 101
by Gary R. Ryman
Rural water supply operations can be successfully conducted in a variety of ways and much depends on the equipment available in a particular area. Different jurisdictions use tanker task forces, rural box alarms, and for some, these operations are part of their every day bread and butter.
Innovation and ingenuity are the catch words for these operations, but these are useless without knowledge and training. Knowing the accessible water sources, static or otherwise in your first due area is critical. Every fill site is different and setting up for the best access and maximum flexibility is always a challenge. Pre-planning and training at these sites helps to establish the most efficient positioning and fill site set-up configuration. Conducting these sessions with the neighboring departments, who will most likely be assigned this responsibility, and doing the same in their areas, makes the system work.
The rules of thumb I have found successful are based on the use of large tankers, defined as 3000 gallon and up; all designed to both fill and dump quickly. A differing equipment mix could change the equation. Committing the first due tanker or “burying” it with the first due engine has some advantages. With both pieces in close proximity, a cheater can supply and supplement the attack engine tank water. Realistically, on a one or two room fire, this should be sufficient for a knock down. Murphy, however, works everywhere.
If the situation is such that a shuttle is implemented, the utilization of the first tanker in this manner allows it to act as a safety or reserve. Once the shuttle supply has been established, re-filling the first tanker is a priority. Over the course of an extended incident, something inevitably will interrupt the operation. Losing prime, a mechanical breakdown, or any other number of things can impair the supply. With the first tanker full, operations can continue and if an interior attack is underway, allow time to affect a controlled withdrawal if the gremlins cannot be promptly corrected.
While distance, flow requirements, and tanker size, can all be used to calculate specific needs, standard rules of thumb are usually easier. For example, a separate fill and dump site for every five tankers in use is typically desirable. Stacking tankers up at either end is inefficient, and two or three tankers waiting to fill means water is not moving. Dump sites can be entirely separate or simply additional drop tanks in tandem. Such situations are tailor made for jet siphons between tanks. Having one or two extra tankers in the mix helps minimize interruptions for breakdowns. The same goes for engines.
The officer with the overall water supply assignment should coordinate closely with the incident commander on the desired flow requirements. This will help determine the number of tankers, fill and dump sites, etc. Knowing secondary and tertiary sources is important in case of problems with the primary or a larger flow is needed. Getting the water supply operation onto a separate radio channel will help keep the increasingly crowded airway clearer for fire ground personnel. Given the choice of a pumper relay from a static source or a shuttle, the relay is the default choice if distances are manageable. It takes less moving parts and hence is inherently more reliable. This is another area where training is important. Trying to set up a relay operation without having trained on it previously is a recipe for disaster. What sounds easy to do in the book is anything but at three in the morning; particularly trying to get three or four engine companies who haven’t worked together to lay and pump an extended line in a timely manner.
Dry hydrants are a big plus, but need to be installed correctly and maintained afterward with annual back flushing. Sources other than ponds and creeks should not be forgotten. Swimming pools are a great possibility. Even if not apparatus accessible, a portable pump and five minutes work can provide a nice supplementary supply. Field expedient drop tanks can be put together with ladder and salvage covers. Run off from the incident, if channeled and dammed can be collected and sent back into the fray via a portable pump. You can’t get much more efficient on the fire ground than by using the same water more than once.
Even if you only have small non hydranted areas or seldom conduct these operations, they are entirely manageable with some forethought and training.
No Porta Pond - No Problem!
Secure 3 roof ladders with their hooks and some rope and throw a salvage cover over top.
February 24, 2012
Rural Water 101
by Gary R. Ryman
Rural water supply operations can be successfully conducted in a variety of ways and much depends on the equipment available in a particular area. Different jurisdictions use tanker task forces, rural box alarms, and for some, these operations are part of their every day bread and butter.
Innovation and ingenuity are the catch words for these operations, but these are useless without knowledge and training. Knowing the accessible water sources, static or otherwise in your first due area is critical. Every fill site is different and setting up for the best access and maximum flexibility is always a challenge. Pre-planning and training at these sites helps to establish the most efficient positioning and fill site set-up configuration. Conducting these sessions with the neighboring departments, who will most likely be assigned this responsibility, and doing the same in their areas, makes the system work.
The rules of thumb I have found successful are based on the use of large tankers, defined as 3000 gallon and up; all designed to both fill and dump quickly. A differing equipment mix could change the equation. Committing the first due tanker or “burying” it with the first due engine has some advantages. With both pieces in close proximity, a cheater can supply and supplement the attack engine tank water. Realistically, on a one or two room fire, this should be sufficient for a knock down. Murphy, however, works everywhere.
If the situation is such that a shuttle is implemented, the utilization of the first tanker in this manner allows it to act as a safety or reserve. Once the shuttle supply has been established, re-filling the first tanker is a priority. Over the course of an extended incident, something inevitably will interrupt the operation. Losing prime, a mechanical breakdown, or any other number of things can impair the supply. With the first tanker full, operations can continue and if an interior attack is underway, allow time to affect a controlled withdrawal if the gremlins cannot be promptly corrected.While distance, flow requirements, and tanker size, can all be used to calculate specific needs, standard rules of thumb are usually easier. For example, a separate fill and dump site for every five tankers in use is typically desirable. Stacking tankers up at either end is inefficient, and two or three tankers waiting to fill means water is not moving. Dump sites can be entirely separate or simply additional drop tanks in tandem. Such situations are tailor made for jet siphons between tanks. Having one or two extra tankers in the mix helps minimize interruptions for breakdowns. The same goes for engines.
The officer with the overall water supply assignment should coordinate closely with the incident commander on the desired flow requirements. This will help determine the number of tankers, fill and dump sites, etc. Knowing secondary and tertiary sources is important in case of problems with the primary or a larger flow is needed. Getting the water supply operation onto a separate radio channel will help keep the increasingly crowded airway clearer for fire ground personnel. Given the choice of a pumper relay from a static source or a shuttle, the relay is the default choice if distances are manageable. It takes less moving parts and hence is inherently more reliable. This is another area where training is important. Trying to set up a relay operation without having trained on it previously is a recipe for disaster. What sounds easy to do in the book is anything but at three in the morning; particularly trying to get three or four engine companies who haven’t worked together to lay and pump an extended line in a timely manner.
Dry hydrants are a big plus, but need to be installed correctly and maintained afterward with annual back flushing. Sources other than ponds and creeks should not be forgotten. Swimming pools are a great possibility. Even if not apparatus accessible, a portable pump and five minutes work can provide a nice supplementary supply. Field expedient drop tanks can be put together with ladder and salvage covers. Run off from the incident, if channeled and dammed can be collected and sent back into the fray via a portable pump. You can’t get much more efficient on the fire ground than by using the same water more than once.
Even if you only have small non hydranted areas or seldom conduct these operations, they are entirely manageable with some forethought and training.
No Porta Pond - No Problem!
Secure 3 roof ladders with their hooks and some rope and throw a salvage cover over top.
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