Smoke Ventilation
Firefighters, lately defined as heroes, have a very exciting job and do some pretty amazing things. My main interests however, is how firefighters ventilate heat and smoke from a structure fire. What pieces of equipment do they use? How do they use those pieces of equipment? Why ventilation is so important and why do they take certain precautions when using their equipment?
Growing up in the woods has made my life a lot more different than an average city slicker. You see, I have a thing about fire. It is one thing that is very interesting to me. Some things that are interesting about fire is that it grows very fast and it is very dangerous, but that never stops me from playing with it. No, I’m not a pyro and I don’t set things on fire to harm anyone or anything, I just love the way it look and the way it works. A friend of mine that everyone knows named Smokey said to me, “ Only you can prevent forest fires,” so I do. When it comes to arsine fires I get very disappointed in the person that does it because that to me show that person doesn’t care about our forests and nature. I only except natural fires because it is natural and it is apart of life.
I really grew interested in Smoke Ventilation when my friend Dj,( who is in the process of becoming part of the Mariposa CDF program), told me about how smoke itself can start a fire, if hot enough. I asked him if he could tell me more about Smoke Ventilation, so he gave me some helpful information. I also wanted to learn what considerations must be made when dealing with a structure fire, and what are the important aspects of strategy and tactics. It turns out that Dj also had information on that as well. I asked him for the information he new along with the work he had finished in his class. He gave me some packets called,” Fire Fighting Technology,” which teaches a person about Smoke Ventilation and the important aspects of strategy and tactics.
Becoming a Firefighter is a big step and it takes a person with a strong mind, body and soul, not to mention common sense. It also take a strong will to learn and work hard. Firefighting is no game and it is something that is really hard to do. Smoke Ventilation is something that a person needs to take very seriously and they...
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...pinion, which means that the people aren’t to happy with a lot of smoke flowing all over their neighborhood, but it is something that they have to deal with or the fire will spread and cause more damage. Another disadvantage of ventilation is that it costs to much for the training process for firefighters, but it is a good technic. Also, another disadvantage is that there can be a serious case of water damage do to the firefighters spraying water through the ventilated spots. Other disadvantages are that when performing a cut for vertical ventilation, it could cause some weird fire movement towards flammable substances and can be extremely dangerous to a firefighter.
Smoke ventilation is one long and one hard process. It takes a lot of work and a lot of good judgement to perform it correctly. I never new how much information there was for smoke ventilation. A person must have a lot of guts to become a firefighter because I know now that firefighting is something that takes a lot of bravery and will power. I was told by my friend Dj, “ With every action, there always is a reaction, so you got to take each step one by one, or you’ll be six feet under.”
The purpose of this report is to evaluate The Columbus Division of Fire as a potential employer for Columbus State fire science students.
...job of a firefighter is not much different than that of a mechanic, both are called upon to fix a broken situation. Like a mechanic a firefighter has a large assortment of tools in their toolboxes, certain tools are better suited for particular situations than others, without these tools both professions would be ineffective at their duties. The smooth bore nozzle, and the fog/combination nozzle, are two of the most common nozzle types that a firefighter has a available in his toolbox. While the fog/combination nozzle is a valued tool for sepfic tasks, the benefits of the smooth bore nozzle make it a safer and more effective nozzle for direct fire attack compared to the fog or combination nozzle. I hope to prove my thesis through continued research and reporting using the sources and articles, like those above, that have been authored on this longstanding debate.
These ten things are necessary for any new firefighter. If you wish to be successful you must respect the job, ask questions when in doubt, manage your ego, understanding failure equal death, how to maintain a truck, handling an emergency, safety, accountability and keep an open mind to learning new things. It is hard work, but it totally worth it in long run. Remember stay hungry to learn, study new fireground tactics. Learn by doing, reading, and listening.
# Coleman, Ronny J., et al.Fighter's Handbook: Essentials of Firefighting and Emergency Response. Delmar/Thompson Learning, Stamford, CT, 2000.
The job duties and training set to be a firefighter varies from which occupational source one chooses to be. Experts say, “Control and extinguish fires or respond to emergency situations where life property or the environment is at risk.”(www.careerinfonet.org online). In other words firefighters are obligated to do the tasks required of them. Another source states, “Include fire prevention, emergency medical source, hazardous material response, search and rescue, and disaster management.”(www.careerinfonet.org online). Another way to explain this is firefighters have many dangers they have to look out for. As one website says, “Fire fighters spend much of their time at the fire station.”(www.allthingspolitcal.org online). Obviously, firefighters spend their time waiting on a call. Experts say, “Abilities Learned – problem sensitivity, - reaction time, - arm hand steadiness, - manual dexterity, - multi-limb coordination, - response orientation.”(www.careerinfonet.org online). In other words, as a firefighter you learn problem...
As people of the twenty-first century, we are all too familiar with the frequent occurrence of wildfires in our nation’s forests. Each year millions of acres of woodlands are destroyed in brutal scorches. It has been estimated that 190 million acres of rangelands in the United States are highly susceptible to catastrophic fires (www.doi.gov/initiatives/forest.html.). About a third of these high-risk forests are located in California (www.sfgate.com). These uncontrollable blazes not only consume our beautiful forests but also the wildlife, our homes and often the lives of those who fight the wildfires. The frequency of these devastating fires has been increasing over the years. In fact, in the years 2000 and 2002, it has been reported that the United States has faced its worst two years in fifty years for mass destruction fires (www.doi.gov/initiatives/forest.html.). The increased natural fuels buildup coupled with droughts have been a prevailing factor in contributing to our wildfires and unhealthy forests (www.blm.gov/nhp/news/releases/pages/2004/pr040303_forests.html). Due to the severity of these wildfires, several regulations and guidelines have been implemented to save our forests. In fact, the President himself has devised a plan in order to restore our forests and prevent further destruction of our woodlands.
It is so sad to see the horror of forest fires and how they corrupt our beautiful land. So much damage comes out of what started so small. At least 603 square miles of land were burned in the early stages of the Arizona fire only a couple of years ago (BBC 2). In a Colorado fire 2.3 million acres had been burned (BBC 3). That land could have been saved if the use of prescribed burns had been in the area.
Carbon monoxide is a major component in smoke from fires. It can cause a loss of mental acuity, acute nausea and severe headaches (Reinhardt 33). Death can occur at extreme levels of this intoxication and it can even cause shortness of breath and dizziness (Reinhardt 35). It may not seem like it is that bad, but one must consider that these things add up and can really affect their health and well-being. The carbon monoxide levels tend to shoot up when the wind speed goes up during daily exposure (U.S. Department of Agriculture 3). It also depends on what kind of duties you have as a firefighter; because those with the highest level of carbon monoxide in their system were a part of the direct attack and those with the least were the fire starters (U.S. Department of Agriculture 3). Carbon monoxide is a powerful poison that can kill you and it is absolut...
Firefighters are more than friends. You can't fight fires with friends. To fight fires you need a brotherhood. The men and women of the fire service across the globe consider each other family, this is one of the grand traditions of the fire department. Firefighters are constantly looking out for one another, thinking about the things they do and how it may affect the other’s lives and safety. Life safety is of the highest priority in the business of fire rescue. To achieve a safety standard there are many tasks that fire personnel are expected to carry out, for both a personal and a team related purpose. One of these tasks is the daily inspection of the fire apparatus upon arrival to the fire station. This task is with most certainty the most essential process that fire personnel are responsible for in order to get through the shift safely and efficiently.
Human beings cause most wildfires, directly or indirectly. In the United States lightning, the only truly natural cause is responsible for less than 10% of all such fires. In the West, lightning is the primary cause, with smoking (cigarettes, matches, and such) the second most frequent. Combined they account for 50 to 75% of all wildfires. In the “13 southern states (Virginia to Texas) the primary cause is arson; this combined with smoking and debris burning makes up 75% of all wildfires” (Perry, 1994). The other causes of wildfires are machine use and campfires. Machine use includes railroads, logging, sawmills, and other operations using equip...
Everyone has their own interpretation of what a firefighter is or does. The dictionaries definition says, “A person who is trained to put fires out, rescue people from fires, educate the public about fire prevention, and help people in other emergencies.” My definition of a firefighter growing up was a person who runs through burning building and found people who are screaming and crying, to save them. Now growing up with the desire to become a firefighter my definition has changed to someone, a women or man, who not only thinks about themselves but about the lives and loved ones of others. Whether it is rescuing people from a burning building, caring for their medical needs, extinguishing fires in a house, large building, or in a vehicle, this profession is about helping others.
Joe Lombardo of the Garden City Fire Department made it a point during fire school to emphasize that a good firefighter will always maintain a clear head even in the most harrowing of circumstances. This task may be difficult in situations where an enormous amount of information must be transmitted to effectively fight the fire. Recent innovations in fire scene communication technology have allowed for more information to be transferred to the appropriate firefighters before and during the initial attack. The following outline some of the more important innovations to fire communication technology:
Firefighter and paramedic careers are two different careers, the work environment for firefighting is about the same as a paramedic field environment because they share the same duties as volunteer or paid. Firefighters are at the most risk of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. They often encounter dangerous situations, including collapsing floors and walls, traffic accidents, and overexposure to flames and smoke. Paramedics are required to do considerable kneeing, bending, and lifting while caring for and moving
Several other methods for solving the problem of second-hand smoke have been suggested in the past. One method is to use air purifiers to clean the air. While this can remove some smoke particles from the air, even the most expensive air filtration system cannot remove all of the poisons and toxins put into the air by second hand smoke. Another solution would be to have separate rooms in which smoking is allowed, such as a lounge or parlor. This idea is also flawed, because for this to work, the rooms in which smoking is allowed would require entirely separate ventilation systems to accomplish the objective of protecting others (from the New York Times, 1/12/99, Public Smoking Ban: Alternatives?)
...r it is arson, an uncontrolled camp fire, or a cigarette butt it doesn’t take much for humans to spark a disaster. Yet there is as well a few set by good old Mother Nature. On top of the effects on the earth as well as humans, there is only one thing we all can do and that is listen to our old pal Smokey the Bear when he says, “only you can prevent wildfire.”