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DIVISION 7 TRAINING AND SAFETY NEWSLETTER
December 2014
DECEMBER 7TH, 1941, A DAY OF INFAMY: The Empire of Japan conducted an attack on the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor initiating the U.S. declaration of war and entering the hostilities in World War II. September 11th has been called our “Second Day of Infamy”. When I got on the job, there were many World War II veterans still on the job. They were a special breed. Many of the skills they learned while serving in the military were brought back to the FDNY. That “Greatest Generation” advanced our training and equipment and greatly improved the FDNY. We must remember and honor those who served. Never Forget!
Fr. CHRISTIAN ENGLEDRUM: November 29th is the 10th Anniversary of Fr. Christian Engledrum L-61 being killed in action in Iraq. Never Forget!
TIP OF THE HELMET TO: Fr. John F. McDermott E-42 who achieved the highest ranking in Engine Company Chauffeur Class.
To E-38, E-46, E-48, E-52, L-51, L-52, L-56 and the B.C.’s who stepped up for the Mutual Aid Drill with Westchester Fire Departments on 11/5/14. Outstanding job.
To Fr. Victor Mercieca E-72 who was activated for Military Leave on 11/7/14. Come home soon.
23 RUTGERS ST., MANHATTAN: On December 27, 1994 at 0357 hours, FDNY units were sent to Box 217 for a reported structural fire at 23 Rutgers St. The report included that people were trapped. The temperature hovered around 15 degrees. A 10-75 was transmitted for fire on the 3rd floor of a 5 story Brownstone that was converted into a Multiple Dwelling (a “Brownament”). Upon arrival, there was heavy smoke showing out the third floor windows and people were hanging out the windows on the 4th and 5th floors.
After climbing the front stoop and forcing entry to the front door, the first due Truck (L-6) was met by a wall of heavy smoke. Upon dropping to the floor, smoke could be seen coming up from the baseboards. What was an apparent 3rd floor fire was now actually a fire on the 1st floor. L-6 went down the interior stairs. The entrance to the basement was blocked off witha 2”x 4” and plywood barrier. Fire could be heard crackling on the other side of the plywood barrier. While trying to make entry to the basement from the interior, the building’s electrical meters began to arc above the heads of the L-6 forcible entry team. L-6 left the interior stairway, went outside the building and commenced forcing entry under the front stoop to gain access to the fire area.
The first hose line was stretched up the front stoop to the 2nd floor. Once it was determined where the fire was, the first hose line had to remain in this position to prevent the fire from racing up the interior stairs. The second hose line was stretched to the rear yard to protect people who were escaping on the rear fire escape. The third hose line was called for by me to the first floor via the doorway under the stoop. The 1st floor was an illegal gambling den. There were no units available at that time to stretch the third hose line. L-6 was running out of air and left the first floor fire area to get new cylinders. R-1 pulled up and I told Lt. Steve Casani of R-1 to stretch a hose line to the first floor. It was at this time that a “Mayday” was transmitted by L-18, the second due Truck. R-1 responded to the “Mayday”. The third hose line was stretched to the first floor by E-55 upon their arrival. By now, smoke was boiling out of the door under the stoop.
The officer of Ladder 18 was a newly assigned Lieutenant. His forcible entry team was Fr. Richard Kelly (L-11 Det.) and Pr. Fr. Thomas Wylie. This was Pr. Fr. Wylie’s first serious fire out of Proby School. The upper floors of the fire building had numerous trapped occupants and was heavily charged with smoke. L-18 was searching the third floor rear when Pr. Fr. Wylie’s vibralert went off. He notified his officer and the Lieutenant told him that he would have some time to operate. The Lieutenant from L-18 thought he heard air leaking and asked Pr. Fr. Wylie if air was leaking from his facepiece. Pr. Fr. Wylie replied that he didn’t think so. About one minute later, Pr. Fr. Wylie suddenly ran out of air. The Lieutenant from L-18 removed his facepiece in an attempt to share it with Pr. Fr. Wylie. This is when the initial “Mayday” was transmitted by the officer of L-18. Both the Lieutenant and Pr. Fr. Wylie quickly became overcome by the Carbon Monoxide (CO). The other member of the Forcible Entry team, Fr. Kelly, transmitted another “Mayday” for two Firefighters down and he attempted to remove the Lieutenant of L-18.
While attempting to remove the Lieutenant of L-18, Fr. Kelly’s vibralert went off. He went to the front windows of the building to call for help. Fr. Gary LiGreci L-18 was the OV and he quickly positioned the Tower Ladder (TL) Basket to the third floor window. Fr. LiGreci entered the window, found L-18’s officer and removed him to the TL Basket. The Lieutenant of E-28 was in the process of stretching a 4th hand line to the 3rd floor when the “Mayday” was transmitted. He helped Fr. LiGreci in bringing Lt. Wayne to the TL Basket. Fr. LiGreci told the Lieutenant of E-28 that not all members were accounted for and he went back into the 3rd floor to find Pr. Fr. Wylie. The Lieutenant from E-28 could hear a PASS alarm going off and he crawled towards it. He found Pr. Fr. Wylie in the back room of the 3rdfloor and he was unconscious. His SCBA and his strap from the extinguisher were entangled. Pr. Fr. Wylie was removed down the interior stairs by the Lieutenant and Nozzleman from E-28 about ten minutes after the initial “Mayday”. CPR was performed on both the officer of L-18 and Pr. Fr. Wylie and both were revived at the scene. Both members were transported to the Hyperbaric Unit at Jacobi Hospital. However, Pr. Fr. Thomas Wylie perished from his injuries on January 3, 1995. May he rest in peace.
LESSONS LEARNED TALKING POINTS: 1) Other than low air, when does a vibralert activate? 2) What are the hazards of CO and Hydrogen Cynide? 3) Describe “Two in-Two out”. 4) In the FDNY, mask sharing is prohibited…why? 5) Why is continuous size-up important at fires and emergencies? 6) What are the exceptions to normal hose stretching rules? 7) When would you investigate an activated PASS alarm?
RANDOM THOUGHTS ON SEARCH:
A primary search is more effective if a good size-up is performed. Where is the fire? Are there any fire escapes? What are the avenues of fire travel? What time of day is it? Do we need a search rope? What is the occupancy?
Count on coming back to the same point where you started your search. Heading towards a secondary means of egress can be hazardous. Windows leading to fire escapes can be blocked or locked with gates.
When conducting the primary search of the fire area, after checking behind the door, try to penetrate to the seat of the fire to confine it. Start your primary search from that point.
If conducting a primary search in an area other that the fire apartment, start your search immediately upon entering the apartment. Primary searches are rapid, thorough and systematic. Do not start upsetting the natural balance of the room by moving furniture around. You may conceal the victim and/or remove the natural means of egress from the apartment.
When performing a search, if you cannot see your feet, you have no business standing on them. Get on your hands and knees. If there are people trapped, they will be on the floor or on a piece of furniture.
When going above the fire, always force an area of refuge on each floor in the event the hallway becomes untenable.
Understand the fire related human behavior. It is unusual for trapped occupants to panic. Generally, they are trying to make their way to an exit. That is why so many trapped occupants are found near a door or a fire escape window. Some trapped occupants may make their way towards the bathroom or the kitchen. The reason is there is water there. They are afraid of being burned.
If you get disoriented in an apartment, look for clues. If you find a radiator, you are probably on an exterior wall.
If you find an unconscious person on a bed, make a thorough check to see if there are two or more people in the bed.
Once a victim is found, a 10-45 must be transmitted immediately and get an acknowledgement from the Incident Commander. Time is of the essence for the fire victim. Communicate with your Officer and remove them to a clean area as quickly as possible. The priority order of removal of trapped occupants is: Interior Stairs, Horizontal Exits, Fire Escapes, Fire Department Ladders, and Life Saving Rope.
According to the NFPA, children age 5 and younger have a fire death rate more than twice the national average. Another at-risk group is the elderly. Those aged 65 and older have twice the risk of dying in a home fire as the general population. That risk increases as their age increases: three times as high for those 75 and older and four times as high for those 85 and older.
D.C. Jay Jonas, Division 7