January - March 2014 Straight Tip

January - March 2014 / Volume 15, Issue 1

T

A

H

IT

U

Y

Utah Fire and Rescue Academy Magazine

VA

LLE

I Y UN

VE

R

S

AAA Rescuer of the Year Program AAA is committed to making our communities and roadways safer. Their mission is to build a stronger, safer, and more prepared Utah by actively aiding first responders and organizations that support them, fostering the development of the next generation of civic leaders and creating safer roadways for everyone.

AAA’s primary objectives are to support organizations that rescue people from immediate danger and empower everyday citizens to be “Rescue Ready.” Their primary philanthropic initiative, Rescue Today, is focused on supporting first responders - “the selfless police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and search-and-rescue groups that sacrifice their safety to help others.” Through Rescue Today, AAA fund organizations and programs dedicated to emergency support, survivor empowerment, and disaster education.

Not only is AAA supporting organizations and programs dedicated to keeping Utah safe, but through their AAA Rescuer of the Year program, they’re also celebrating individuals who courageously put their lives at risk to save others in their time of urgent need.

These great initiatives are a reflection of AAA’s commitment to support and pay tribute to: first responders, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and others who sacrifice their own safety to help others in urgent need.

The AAA Rescuer of the Year awards recognizes and celebrates local rescuers and everyday heroes. Whether

the rescuer is a trained first responder or an everyday citizen, these selfless actions deserve our collective recognition and praise.

In September 2014, AAA will honor the most deserving rescuers from Northern California, Nevada, and Utah at the first annual AAA Rescuer of the Year Awards.

They also feature a new rescuer every month, based on nominations entered at AAA.com/rescuer.

Featured rescuers will receive a $1,000 donation in the Rescuer’s name to a first responder organization of his or her choice from the list of AAA selected groups, a $250 gift card, and one year’s complimentary AAA Classic Membership.

The Rescuer of the Year will receive a $10,000 donation in the rescuer’s name to a first responder organization of his or her choice from the list of AAA selected groups, a $3,000 gift of AAA Travel, and three years of complimentary Primary AAA Premier Membership.

Rescuers are defined not by what they say but by what they do. If you’ve ever been rescued or know of a local rescuer, please take a moment to share the incredible story and nominate the rescuer at AAA.com/rescuer.

January - March 2014 | 1

FROM THE DIRECTOR OPPORTUNITIES Part three of the Utah Fire and Rescue Academy’s (UFRA) SWOT analysis covers opportunities. Opportunities are those characteristics, identified in the external environment, which enable UFRA to achieve its goals and objectives.

Although a SWOT analysis is typically something that is performed in the private sector, there are obvious benefits for the public sector. Three areas that provide opportunity for growth are demographic change, technological innovation, and partnerships.

Demographic Change It was Bob Dylan who sang “The times they are a changin.” I realize that every generation of firefighter has looked down their nose at the “rookies” and thought the fire service was coming to an end. But in fact, the last time I checked, we were living our own version of Groundhog Day: dragging hose lines into buildings just like our predecessors did 150 years ago (I will leave that for another article). The point is we, the fire service, are thriving but now must acknowledge a new generation that is at least, technologically…unique? And because of that unique characteristic, UFRA better be changing or risk falling so far behind the technology curve that we become insignificant.

The generation that I speak of is oftentimes referred to as “millennials”. This is the first generation born with computers in their homes. The vast majority has computers, cell phones with Internet access, and most use the Internet to get news and to communicate. Because of this, UFRA has an opportunity, maybe even an obligation, to change the way we communicate with and inform the Utah fire service.

Social media (I can’t believe I even wrote those words) is without question our “pipeline” of communication in the future. Whether Instant Message, Facebook, Twitter, or another medium of communication is used the fire service of the future has officially changed. I can’t imagine Battalion 2 texting an assignment to Engine 4 on the backside; but hey, anything is possible right?

With the advent of the millennial generation in the fire service, the time to use online technology to better educate and train firefighters is upon us. Research tells us

that online learning can be more effective than traditional classroom deliveries when training emergency responders. There is little doubt at this point that blended learning (combination of online and hands-on training) may be the most effective method for training future firefighters. The opportunity to more effectively train and do so at a reduced cost is why UFRA has committed all core courses to be converted into a blended delivery format.

Technological Innovation Since I’ve already mentioned the use of social media and online learning I will spare you from a repeat. I would however like to give you a “peek” into the future that has been literally laid at our doorstep.

Ever heard of a UAS? Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are in service as we speak. Another name for a UAS is a “drone”. Many of you are thinking in terms of military or law enforcement use. Not so fast. Consider this: you’re the first-due Battalion Chief (BC) to a wildland incident. Sure wish you could get a peek over that ridgeline or see the head and the flanks of the fire, don’t you? Well imagine a UAS that looks like a shoebox with rotor (think helicopter) technology equipped with cameras and infrared technology. This UAS may be deployed from your BC truck and is hard-line tethered to monitors at the command post. The UAS may have predetermined altitudes that you can program during the incident to give you views from 50 to 500 feet away. How about a Hazardous Materials incident where you don’t need to send in a “recon team”?

Simply deploy a UAS equipped with cameras and atmospheric monitors that can give you all the info to develop an Action Plan while not risking “hazmateers” into an unknown environment. Now think technical rescue; the possibilities are endless.

Utah Valley University’s College of Aviation and Public Services is aggressively pursuing a UAS program.

UFRA and the Utah fire service have the opportunity to be foundational players in the development of UAS use in first response. A UAS program has the potential to change how we manage incidents and increase firefighter safety. More to follow.

Partnerships UFRA enjoys partnerships with several organizations that further our mission. However, I think there are opportunities to partner with units within the University that would

take us to the next level in online training and increase the quality of our instructors.

Our college includes the Aviation Department, and within it is one of the more sophisticated online education organizations in the country. Their capabilities have already been utilized in the development of UFRA’s blended Haz Mat Ops course. It did not take long to recognize and take advantage of their expertise. We have officially partnered with Dustin Berlin of the Aviation Department, and his group to produce the blended version of all UFRA core courses. I think that when you see the finished products over the next several years, you will agree our blended courses will be second to none. Remember that blended learning may produce better outcomes, provide more flexibility for students, and save departments money. Win-win, makes sense - something has to be wrong with this!

There is no doubt that our instructors do a great job. But keep in mind they are firefighters first and instructors second. Over the years UFRA has done little to develop their skills as instructors, short of an occasional instructor update or an annual one-day seminar...our bad. We must do more to assist our instructors to be more effective in the classroom and on the drill ground. UFRA may have the opportunity to partner with the university’s Faculty Center for Teaching Excellence. They’re responsible for faculty development and could assist UFRA in creating and implementing strategies for our instructors to become better teachers.

UFRA will continue to seek opportunities to refine our product and serve our customers. We will identify and adapt to changes in our customer demographics, embrace innovations in technology, and take advantage of partnerships that will further our mission. In my next article we will examine the threats that UFRA faces now and in the future.

Stay safe, Hugh

Hugh Connor was hired by the Orem Fire Department in 1979 where he worked for 27 years.

He served as a Firefighter/Paramedic, Engineer, Lieutenant, Captain, and Battalion Chief. Connor has worked at the Utah Fire and Rescue Academy since 2005.

DEPARTMENTS 4

FROM THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL

6

STATE FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION

18 VIEW FROM THE HILL 20 DEPARTMENT IN FOCUS 22 FIRE MARKS 34 CLIMBING THE LADDER 40 ACADEMICS TRACKING AND TECHNOLOGY................... 8 SLEEPING FOR SAFETY ........................... 10 WHY DO YOU RESIST CHANGE?............... 14 LAYTON ADOPTS SMART911................... 19 WILDLAND ................................................ 24 CAN’T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG............. 28 REMOTE FDC’S ......................................... 30 VENTILATION AIR PATH MANAGEMENT... 32 THE TEN POINTS OF LEADERSHIP........... 35 HEAVY RESCUE......................................... 36 Editor-in-Chief Steve Lutz Managing Editor Andrea Hossley Design Phillip Ah You

Editorial Committee Sue Young Candice Hunsaker Debra Cloward Kaitlyn Hedges Published by Utah Valley University

January - March 2014 | 3

FROM THE STATE FIRE

Firefighters and Cancer Issues – Part II

I always appreciate the opportunity to provide an article to the Straight Tip and to let the firefighters and emergency responders know that they really are appreciated. I continue to try to attend as many county fire chief’s meetings as I can throughout the year, and I am always amazed at how dedicated you are to your communities, your families, and the fire service.

In mid-October of 2013, NIOSH and the U.S. Fire Administration published their findings to-date about this important topic. Their multi-year study, which began in 2010, will continue on into 2014, and then they will produce a final report. To view the October findings, please go to the following web site: http://www.cdc. gov/niosh/firefighters/ffCancerStudy.html.

When you read this, we will most likely be wrapping up Winter Fire School or beginning the Legislative session. I want to start by letting you know about a few changes from the state level. As most of you

know, in July, the Department of Public Safety (DPS), of which our office is a division, was fortunate to have Keith D. Squires named as the new DPS Commissioner. He had been serving as Deputy Commissioner and worked closely with other divisions, including Emergency Management. I have been very impressed with Commissioner Squires since he took the reins. He has been very busy getting ramped up with all the different divisions now under his leadership. Although the fire service is mostly new to him, he is very supportive and anxious to learn about who we are and what we do.

His early background comes from the Highway Patrol, so he knows a lot about emergency response and how to handle difficult situations. He is very personable; so don’t be shy when you first meet him. I hope to be able to have him attend functions such as Winter Fire School and other meetings where you will have the opportunity to get to know him too. He will continue to be an advocate for us day-to-day and at the State Capitol as well. We also have a new Lieutenant Governor, Spencer J. Cox. I have yet to meet him in person. I’m certain that he will prove to be supportive of the fire service as well. I know that I’ll have a chance to visit with him in the near future.

On a historical note, in July of 1963, then Governor George D. Clyde appointed seven men as members of the newly organized Utah State Fire Prevention Board.

Their first assignment was to put together what is now the State Fire Marshal’s office and to hire a State Fire Marshal. The Board held three meetings and received more than 100 applications. Interviews were held, and on December 18th, Mr. Robert A. Tanner from Salt Lake City was chosen as the first State Fire Marshal. The date for him to start the job was set for February 1st, 1964. So we mark 1964 as the date when the Office of the State Fire Marshal was officially organized.

I would like to quote from the Progress Report submitted to the Board for 1964: “In cooperation with the Utah Trade Technical Institute at Provo, a training program for fire departments throughout the State was set up in the early spring and to date about 45 departments have received this training consisting of a sixteen

MARSHAL hour course on various fire fighting techniques.� As you all know, that partnership continues to this day, and it has been a very successful 50-year partnership with the Utah Fire and Rescue Academy. Many of you have been a part of the growth and change that has occurred over these many years.

As we begin our 50th (Silver Anniversary) year of operations, I hope that you will join with me in celebrating and recognizing the many individuals who have worked for you and with you over the years from our office and from UFRA in providing additional support to your efforts. I am certainly hopeful that we can continue to provide you with timely assistance for the next 50 years as well. Please feel free to contact us if we can help in any way. And remember, let’s be careful out there! Thanks again for all you do!

Coy Coy D. Porter retired from Provo Fire & Rescue after 30 years of service; he then worked for almost four years as the Assistant Director of Training at UFRA. Porter enjoys his association with the firefighters of Utah in his position as State Fire Marshal.

Magazine Revamp The time has come for a UFRA Straight Tip revamp! We have some great ideas and design concepts but we really want to hear from you, our readers. Send your suggestions and ideas to andrea.hossley@uvu.edu or call 801-863-7715.

Thank you for your continued support of the UFRA Straight Tip! Andrea Hossley, Managing Editor

To Subscribe:

To subscribe to the UFRA Straight Tip magazine, or make changes to your current subscription, call 1-888-548-7816 or visit www.uvu.edu/ufra/news/ magazine.html. The UFRA Straight Tip is free of charge to all firefighter and emergency service personnel throughout the state of Utah.

UFRA Customer Service Local (801) 863-7700 Toll free 1-888-548-7816 www.uvu.edu/ufra

UFRA Straight Tip

(ISSN 1932-2356) is published quarterly by Utah Valley University and the Utah Fire & Rescue Academy and distributed throughout the State of Utah.

Reproduction without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Send inquiries or submissions to: UFRA Straight Tip magazine 3131 Mike Jense Parkway Provo, Utah 84601 Phone 1-888-548-7816 andrea.hossley@uvu.edu

Disclaimer:

The opinions expressed in the UFRA Straight Tip are those of the authors and may not be construed as those of the staff or management of the UFRA Straight Tip, Utah Fire & Rescue Academy, or Utah Valley University.

On the Cover:

Photography by Benjamin Anderson, Captain, American Fork Fire/Rescue. Pictured is Lieutenant Dave Harding of American Fork Fire/Rescue during a live burn training exercise with the use of a pre-demolition home.

January - March 2014 | 5

Message from Utah State Fire Chiefs Association Peaks and Valleys I don’t think many would argue that the Fire Service is the best profession on the planet, and not many regret taking the oath. This, however, does not make us immune to feeling unappreciated at times, then complaining, and ultimately finding ourselves in a rut over something. As a fire chief, morale is always on my mind, and as supervisors, we should be alarmed if low morale shows itself. It is very concerning when spirits are at a low, and at times they will be. I would love to say that my thirty years in the Fire Service have been completely happy and that I never complained about anything, but that’s just not true. What we need to do is consistently put things in perspective and climb out of those valleys. That’s not to say that all of our issues will be fixed and satisfaction will always be achieved; realistically that won’t happen. Some things are out of the firefighters’ control as well as the chief’s control. This is still no excuse for not seeking out a solution to problems that arise. It doesn’t matter the level, it all starts with a complaint, and nothing can be accomplished without communicating the issues.

Recently, it came to our attention that morale was down in our department due to pay compensation. While everyone received a pay raise, some percentages were greater than others. With the lack of pay increases over the last few years, compensation became an issue and it was

necessary for the city to try and address these inequities.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the Fire Service, we’re more than happy to compare our pay checks and someone will always be on the down side of that comparison. Employee compensation will always have the potential to be a morale issue, no matter the cause or rank of an employee. As much as we love our profession, the extent of our pay as well as how fairly we are compensated is of great significance to all of us. There are several things that can influence our morale, including promotions, training opportunities, programs, work schedules, vacations, overtime, and equipment --- and there are many more that can bring us up or down. As a chief, or as chiefs, we should always be concerned about morale and never ignore a problem, no matter how small we think it is or how obvious the resolution may seem. We must put forth the effort to address it, even if the answers are tough and the solutions few. I think back to when my peers or I felt that we were getting shorted or not being treated fairly. “Yes” I was angry, and my attitude would sink into the valley and I wanted answers; sometimes I got them and sometimes I didn’t, but it is always important to pursue the reasoning. Although we may all end up in the valley at times, it is important to fight our way out and not a bad idea to bring someone with us as we work our way back up to the peaks.

As fire chiefs, or in any position of supervision and leadership, we can never underestimate or take lightly the attitudes of our personnel. As we evaluate the symptoms and try to determine the root of problems, don’t be surprised to find the trail leading to our door. Not to say that we are the root of the problem, but we should have the answers or at least be able to communicate to our members that we are aware of the issues and have clarifications for concerns. As I write this, I also know that I am not always the best communicator. I assume that personnel are informed about the issues and understand why things are the way they are. Sometimes our people just want to know that we are aware and care about what is going on.

Here is another reality: as much as morale is important and that as a chief we “own” everything that happens in our organization, both good and bad, we are also a paramilitary organization. We have layers of hierarchy, from firefighters to the chief and back down. The station officer is in a very important position; they are in direct contact with his or her crew and battalion chief. They also have the obligation to mitigate issues before they become too large. It is easy for a captain to pass the problem on to an officer of a higher rank to take the heat off of them. This is not the appropriate action nor does it give credibility to the process. It is important to remember that when we take the oath as an officer, we agree to uphold the rules of our organization - not just the convenient ones, but also the ones that make us uncomfortable and can be somewhat controversial. It’s O.K. to make tough decisions and explain hard facts. After I became a chief, it didn’t take long to realize that I could not make everyone happy but that I have to make educated and well thought-out decisions affecting all personnel, our organization, and our citizens. It is frustrating when I see someone who is having a rough time, then discover that it was something not worth getting distraught about and should have been addressed promptly. This is when leadership should prevail and as officers we should recognize discontent not ignore it.

Once we take away the expensive equipment, the lavish living quarters, and the image of being a hero, we have people who need to deliver the best service possible and they should be standing on the peaks, proud and satisfied with their chosen profession. I often think about a statement by Chief Jeff Johnson, he said that when a citizen calls, we are dispatched, and it is imperative that when we show up we are nothing short of our very best in every way possible, including a positive attitude. At that particular time, we should always be at the highest peak.

Gil Rodriguez has worked for Murray City Fire Department for 30 years. Rodriguez is originally from Los Angeles, California. He attended college at Southern Utah University, and upon graduation he moved back to Los Angeles, where he taught for three years. He moved to the Salt Lake area in 1981, where he taught for three years at South High School before getting hired by Murray City Fire Department in1984.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT Dennis Goudy rejoined the Utah Fire and Rescue Academy in March and serves as the Quality Assurance/Risk Management Program Manager. Prior to rejoining UFRA he served 5 years with a disaster preparedness, training and exercise team based in Honolulu, HI. There, he conducted response exercises and provided Incident Command System training for the U.S. military and partner-nation responders. He began his career in the Fire Service nearly 37 years ago. After retiring from the active fire service, he joined the UFRA team and assisted in the development of the Command Training Center. He also served as an adjunct instructor for Texas Engineering Extension Service, as an adjunct instructor for FEMA, and as a full-time employee for Booz Allen Hamilton. He shares his experience and expertise by increasing quality to all training courses offered at UFRA through the development and application of a comprehensive evaluation program. He is responsible for gaining a thorough understanding of UFRA’s customer needs by conducting evaluations and making recommendations to the director and program managers. His interests lie heavily with his wife Elaine, two daughters, sons-in-law, and seven grandkids. He loves all outdoor activities and lives in Midway, Utah.

Dennis Goudy

January - March 2014 | 7

Firefighter Tracking Needs and On the evening of February 13, 2007, I sat in the Battalion Chief’s office of the Salt Lake City Fire Department’s Station #1 mere blocks away from Trolley Square. Paperwork, administrative issues, personal stuff, and a few classes I was taking made me tired as I sat at my desk. I remember hoping that nothing big came in at that moment due to this life-induced mental haze. It was then that a call came in for a shooting at Trolley Square with fatalities. The tired feeling vanished as adrenaline rushed through my body.

Due to the proximity of the shooting it was almost certain that Engine 1 and Battalion 1 (me) would be the first on scene. The sheer emotion of dispatch’s description caused Engine 1 and me to race to the chaotic scene even quicker than usual. I imagined the conditions we’d encounter as we arrived and questions flashed through my mind: Would the gunman or gunmen (it was unknown at that point if there were multiple shooters) be exiting the building? How would my Tahoe fair should I drive it in the direction of an armed gunman and floor it. Adrenaline and emotions were high for all of us in Engine 1’s crew.

8 | UFRA Straight Tip

Upon arrival, we momentarily awaited a “secured corridor” provided by Salt Lake’s Swat Team. Engine 1 and other responding units hurriedly followed the M-16 armed police to the victims and began administering lifesaving medical treatment to multiple shooting victims.

Thinking back, I get a bit of a frog in my throat when I think how the firefighters of Salt Lake City forgot about personal safety and wanted nothing more than to get to the dead and dying at all costs. It’s what we do: put our lives on the line when we have a good chance of saving lives. And they did, in fact, save lives on this call.

The first priority for an Incident Commander is firefighter accountability/tracking and consequently safety. Quickly firefighter positions at the Trolley Square scene were lost - the last thing any IC would want with a homicidal gunman on the loose. It was about that time that Battalion Chief Dan Walker showed up at my Tahoe. I thought of my Command Staff positions and thought none really fit what I needed… to know where my firefighters were. I gave the unusual assignment of “Reconnaissance/Safety” to Chief Walker. His objective was to quickly survey the scene and provide a detailed description with working lo-

visuals provided by NAViSEER

tracking system to provide highly accurate geo-position information of personnel deployed in areas where GPS service is limited or not available. The NAViSEER Personnel Tracking System implements both GPS and Inertial Navigation System (INS) technology to generate horizontal and vertical geo-location (X-Y-Z) information for deployed personnel. Each position update is represented by avatars on a three-dimensional wireframe diagram of the involved structure, street, tunnel, or open space created by SEER3D visualization software and displayed on a remote PC monitor (Source: http://www.seertechnology.com).

New Technology cations of each of SLCFD’s crews at the scene. To Dan’s credit he finished the assignment quickly, giving me the needed situational awareness should a Mayday be called.

Incidents like this illustrate how easily an Incident Commander can lose track of the most valuable of all assets: people. In 1999 at the Worcester, Massachusetts’s Cold Storage Fire, six firefighters became lost and died in the blaze. Their bodies were found eight days later. Eight years later in Charlotte, South Carolina, nine firefighters became disoriented, ran out of air and made repeated radio calls for help, along with activation of audible location alarms. The search for these dying firefighters lasted hours before the first of the bodies were found.

Our current fire service methods for locating and tracking working firefighters at the scene leaves much to be desired, to say the least.

The implications of such a personnel tracking system to firefighter safety are immense. Hundreds of Mayday calls may very well have had better outcomes if such technology had been available in the past. The cigarette box sized device could easily be integrated into SCBA’s in the future, making the system even more fail-safe.

Our jobs as firefighters are forever changing; many times for the worse, with new synthetics, explosives, and hazardous environments to deal with. It’s refreshing when a product like the NAViSEER Personnel Tracking System pops up on the radar promising to take some of the risk out of what we do.

Paul Hewitt began his career as an Orem City reserve firefighter in 1987. After 20 years with the Salt Lake City Fire Department he served as a Fire Chief in Arizona before his 2011 appointment to Fire Chief of the Park City Fire District.

New exciting technology is on the horizon. Seer Technology, based in Salt Lake City, has invented, produced, and is in the process of perfecting a product called the NAViSEER Personnel Tracking System. The NAViSEER Personnel Tracking System will be the first real-time January - March 2014 | 9

Sleeping for Safety: It’s time to make sleep a priority Increased hunger

$Leptin

Increased caloric intake

#Ghrelin Increased opportunity to eat Sleep deprivation

Obesity Altered thermoregulation Reduced energy expenditure

#Catecholamines #Cortisol

Increased fatigue

Increased stress hormone

Sleep. We all love it, everyone needs it. Unfortunately, sleep is something that may elude firefighters every time we step foot in a fire station. Most of us have so many factors that impact our sleep that we may not be resting entirely before checking on for duty.

Recently, I was on a committee that researched 48/96 for my agency. While this is not an article regarding the 48/96 schedule, the topic of fire employee sleep is discussed at length. One of the biggest counter-arguments against the schedule was that employees might not get enough rest for coming on duty. The purpose of this article is to take that concept a stretch further. What happens when all of us get so busy at night that we are not getting the rest we need to effectively do our jobs on subsequent shifts?

All of us have been there before. A busy shift filled with calls, tours, hydrants, or inspections. In fact, there have

10 | UFRA Straight Tip

Reduction in state of alertness/ concentration

been days for everyone where you may not eat a meal until late in the day, or even at all.

Later that night it’s call after call after call. Not only have you depleted your tank from lack of food and rest but also you have now potentially put yourself in harm’s way by not “filling your tank.”

Bottom line: firefighters need to be aware of the potential danger they may be putting themselves in by not sleeping well or not eating properly.

The last thing anyone from any agency wants is someone to be injured due to lack of sleep. Numerous studies have taken place examining the impact of lack of sleep on firefighters.

Researching the National Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System turned up numerous accidents and injuries related to sleep deprivation. Firefighters around the country have made poor decisions that were linked back to lack of sleep.

Agencies need to put crew safety at a priority. Regarding fighting sleep deprivation from busy shifts, my agency has given the authority to the officers and battalion chiefs to implement “safety naps” for crews that have had a lack of sleep on the previous shift. Meaning, if we have a rough night on the first night of our 48, the second day will have a safety nap period for the crews. This is not a new concept, but there still may be agencies that do not have such policies in place. This is a proactive way to make sure that employees are safe when doing their jobs. Our profession requires critical thinking, and lack of sleep may impact the ability to make good decisions.

This is a problem that we as a firefighter community cannot ignore. Administrators and employees of fire departments across the state need to have policies in place that will protect employees and create a safe environment. Policies should be implemented to allow for employees to recover lost sleep, so that injuries and deaths don’t occur. Fire employees are innately at risk due to the nature of the profession; so eliminating additional risks for employees will create a safer work environment for firefighters.

Works Cited AH Nutrition. (2009, July 30). Lack-sleep=weight gain?

Retrieved October 28, 2013, from AH Nutrition and Diabetics’ website: ahnutrition.wordpress. com/2009/07/30/lack-sleep-weight-gain Jerrard, J. (2009, March 24). Firefighters Nation.

Retrieved October 28, 2013, from Study Shows Firefighters Don’t get Enough Sleep: www.firefighternation.com/article/firefighter-safety-health/studyshows-firefighters-dont-get-enough-sleep Windmar, R. (2009, June 1). Fire Engineering. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from Sleep to Survive: How to Manage Sleep Deprivation: www.fireengineering.com/articles/print/volume-156/issue-6/ features/sleep-to-survive-how-to-manage-sleepdeprivation.html

Zach Robinson has worked for the Sandy City Fire Department since the spring of 2006. Currently, he holds the rank of Engineer/Paramedic.

In addition to working full time for Sandy City, Zach works as a flight paramedic for AirMed. He also has recently completed his Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Utah. Zach is currently assigned to Station 32 on C Platoon.

Brett Ostler Utah Fire Warden of the Year 2013

by Fred Johnson, Fire Management Officer, Utah Forestry Fire and State Lands

Brett has been fighting fire on Utah’s West Desert for 21 years. He began his fire career with the Nephi Fire Department.

He served as the chief of the department for 13 years. The Utah Division of Forestry Fire and State Lands, with cooperation from Juab County, hired Brett as an Assistant Fire Warden in 2003. In 2007, he became the State Fire Warden for Juab County. He has served very effectively in that position for 6 ½ years, dealing with hundreds of fires, large and small, including the large Salt Creek Canyon fire in 2007.

Brett has worked continuously to improve his knowledge and training to better serve the community. He recently completed the requirements to be certified as a Type 3 Incident Commander. Brett is currently a member of a Great Basin Incident Management Team. As such, he can be called with that team to fight fire in other parts of the country.

With cooperation from the other fire departments in the county, he has lead in maintaining and building up the wildland fire program in Juab County. The State of Utah recognizes his leadership and service to his community and the state.

During a November 6th meeting in Price, Brett was recognized by Dick Buehler, State Forester, for his excellent service and awarded the honor of Utah Fire Warden of the Year.

January - March 2014 | 11

The Exchange Rate on Experience The National Professional Development Model of the fire service is descriptive and prescriptive in its purpose to professionalize the fire and emergency services (United States Fire Administration [USFA], 2011). This is a higher education project set forth to combine college education (for what it provides) with the training and field experience needed for competency and proficiency. It is a trajectory of personal and professional growth that is intended to cultivate the needed knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to be an effective leader and manager. But this has been somewhat controversial among the ranks. Some of it is because this represents a change in rank attainment.

Senior firefighters without education are now finding that their training and field experience have taken a backseat in the conversations about what merits promotion and provides the best person for the job. It has resulted in a polarity of credentialing values between education versus experience when the model really describes a “both/ and” rather than this “either/or” approach. One of the most common questions asked is, “why is there not some life-experience equivalent for a degree?” Well, there is and there is not: a typical response from an academic, I know.

in the field, a person must attain experiences that teach the occupational life-lessons and wisdom needed to lead and supervise others. The educational part provides an added skills-set that has been proven overtime to promote growth, efficacy, and proficiency for those who succesfully acquire an eduction. The process as outlined in UVU’s 8 values include: (1) learning and scholarship, (2) critical and creative thinking, (3) academic freedom, (4) ethics and integrity, (5) accountability and openness, (6) engaged learning, (7) diversity, and (8) global engagement.

The skills acquired through an academic education help people to gather information, organize it into a unified and meaningful whole, and apply the information to real world situations. In other words, it is not merely a matter of “doing what works” but understanding why and how it works and recognizing when and how we might need to adjust and innovate.

...the traditional student that

Scholar-Practitioner

comes out of college with only

At Utah Valley University (UVU), one of our eight central values is called engaged learning. Basically, this value is aimed at traditional students (just out of high school) who not only need a college education but also need some actual field experience. This aligns with UVU’s value and mission in helping students “graduate with a diploma and a résumé” (Utah Valley University [UVU], 2011). Another value among the eight is diversity. In the department of emergency services, we have diversity in our student body and faculty in terms of backgrounds and lifestyles. Our department has many students who are already working in the field; some with tremendous field experience.

When considering the aims of the National Professional Development Model, many of our students come into the program with the training and field experience desired in the model. The educational part is the new constituent added, and it costs time, money, and energy. Nonetheless,

internships and other engaged

12 | UFRA Straight Tip

activities still has a lot to learn to become a firefighter. While there are different challenges, opportunities, and routes to acquiring the right education, training, and experience, the desired outcome is still the same.

to Education Processes and Outcomes The outcomes desired in the National Professional Development Model are that fire and emergency personnel are at an appropriate level of practitioner-scholar to their respective ranks. As one ascends the chain-of-command in the organization, his or her learning abilities, professional writing skills, critical and creative thinking, ethics and integrity, accountability, and openness to a diverse and global context of operations must be commensorate with that rank. Consider the value of these powerful KSAs in terms of planning, preparing, responding, and recovering from all hazards, disasters, and terrorist attacks. Moreover, these are the qualities that make one more powerful and able to meaningfully connect when interacting with city officials and community business leaders, many whom are quite educated.

At UVU, we can and often do award experiential credit for certifications or significant work assignments that approximate the learning objectives of some of our courses.

Many non-traditional students do not need “engaged learning� experiences because they have already professionally engaged in work, but there is a trade-off. For what one gets in experiential credit toward his or her degree has gaps in its exchange rate. We certainly cannot assume that one is a veteran firefighter due to having his or her degree completed. In return, there are certain academic skills that are not acquired on the street but are expected to be met by academic standards. Therefore, the non-traditional working student must be willing to get caught up on his or her academic skills. Many college courses assume that certain course prerequisite KSAs have been acquired through courses taken already. If such courses have been substituted with experiential credit, it does not relieve the student from the responsibility to have those skills or be willing to spend extra time catching up.

In the end, what one does not get through the regular academic experience due to substituting it with training and work experience, will still have to be acquired in order for one to meet the desired outcomes of the National Profes-

sional Development Model. Likewise, the traditional student that comes out of college with only internships and other engaged activities still has a lot to learn to become a firefighter. While there are different challenges, opportunities, and routes to acquiring the right education, training, and experience, the desired outcome is still the same.

References United States Fire Administration (USFA). (2011, Aug. 17). FESHE strategic direction. United States Fire Administration [online]. Retrieved from: http://www.usfa.fema. gov/nfa/higher_ed/feshe/feshe_strategic.shtm.

Utah Valley University (UVU). (2011, Jan. 27). Mission, values and roles. Utah Valley University [online].

Retrieved from: http://www.uvu.edu/president/mission/ mission.html.

Dr. Rodger BroomĂŠ is a public safety psychological researcher/ professor serving as chair of the department of emergency services at UVU. He retired as a battalion chief and fire marshal from West Jordan Fire department after 23 years serving the city as a firefighter/ EMT and police officer. Rodger serves on the Utah Critical Incident Stress Management team and works part-time for Woods Cross Police.

His teaching and research interests are in the psychology and human science of emergency and disaster response.

January - March 2014 | 13

photography by Fitzgerald Peterson

WHY DO YOU RESIST CHANGE? You are part of a 6-person crew responding on the first-out engine to a reported house fire. As you ride on the engine, you receive updates from the dispatcher. The initial caller reported smoke from a lower-level window in a two-story house. Your officer instructs you to pull a 1 ¾” line on arrival. In your mind you go through the steps you’re going to take when you arrive.

No sooner are you done forming those mental images when the dispatcher advises the officer that a second caller has now reported seeing flames from an upstairs bedroom and there may be people trapped on the second floor. The officer gives a new set of orders. The crews are going to be split. Three firefighters pull the attack line. Three firefight-

14 | UFRA Straight Tip

ers go to the second floor and conduct a primary search. As the reports changed, so did the game plan. And you were right on-board without a second thought.

Hey, wake up! The first two paragraphs were just a daydream. Come back to reality. You’re not on the engine responding to a house fire. You’re actually arriving at the station for a meeting. And as you walk through the door into the truck bay, you cannot believe your eyes. Someone’s moved the engine. What?! That’s right. The engine, which is usually in the first bay, is now in the second bay and the utility truck, which is usually in the second bay is now in the first. You start breathing hard. You feel your blood pressure rising. Your face is getting red. You are nearing the point of being overcome with anger.

Is this an over dramatization? Not at all. I have heard over and over again stories from fire chiefs about firefighters overreacting to the most insignificant changes (or what appear to be insignificant changes) that take place in the firehouse. Some, I’m told, have even resulted in fistfights.

So how is it that we can be so resilient to the changing conditions at the scenes of emergency calls yet we can be so resistant to minor changes that occur in the firehouse? It hardly makes sense.

We can take the mystery out of how an individual can respond so differently to change with just one word: Control.

As we are responding at a fire, we size things up. We are, for the most part, not in control of what is happening. The fire is in control, and we don’t like that one bit. It is not in our genetic make-up to sit back and let a fire burn without a fight. So we attack. We launch an assault to neutralize the enemy (the fire).

We take control. And when we’ve beat down the flames, we feel good. We slap backs, give high-fives and we grunt.

(It’s a primal response dating back to when the cave men celebrated victory over Jurassic foes.)

Ok… back to the firehouse. We walk into the station and the trucks aren’t where they’re supposed to be. Again we are, for the most part, not in control of what’s happening here. Someone else is in control. Someone moved the fire truck without our input. And we don’t like that one bit. It is not in our genetic make-up to sit back and let someone change something without a fight. So we attack. We launch an assault to neutralize the enemy (the person who made this absurd change). We take control. And when we’ve beaten the person who made the change into a pulp, we feel good. We slap backs, give high-fives, and grunt.

Feel like you just had a déjà vu experience when you read those last two paragraphs? Unfortunately for us fire chiefs, our departments are full of people who’d rather stand up and fight than run away. The good news is, those types of people make great firefighters. The bad news is, they can beat the snot out of us when we change something and they don’t like it.

Now, if your department doesn’t have problems like this, you’re doing things right. Congratulations, you can stop reading here and go on to the next article. (Or you can just read on out of morbid curiosity to see how the rest of us can deal with those change resisters.)

There are a number of explanations for why people resist change. Here are some of the more popular reasons and some solution-oriented ideas for how to deal with them.

Self-interest: Believe it or not, there are some people within our fire departments who put self-interest above the needs of the department or the needs of the community.

I know… you’re shocked. The best way to deal with this type of change resistor is to keep them focused on the fire department’s mission statement. This person needs some regular reminders that the needs of the organization and the needs of the community come first. Chances are they knew this when they joined the department but somewhere

along the way lost focus. The important thing is to get this person focused on why the department exists and the role he or she plays. If needed, tape the mission statement in his or her locker, the windshield of his or her car, and on his or her coffee cup.

Anxiety: Some people get very uptight anytime there’s any change in their lives. (When I think of these people, I envision the obsessive-compulsive behaviors of Melvin Udall in the movie As Good As It Gets. I know that everyone isn’t that bad off. So remember, if your worst change resistor isn’t as bad as Melvin Udall, you have something to be thankful for already.) These people need our attention. They need proverbial handholding. They need to have their fears eased. These people are truly amazing to watch.

In a department meeting on a Monday night, we’ll announce a very minor change and these people won’t sleep all night. And by morning we’ll have an e-mail waiting for us with 10 reasons why the change won’t work. Spend extra time with them and try to ease their concerns. If taking time to address their fears doesn’t work, try taping a Prozac ad in his or her locker.

Fear of failure: The human ego can be very powerful. In fact, in some, it’s overpowering. But it can also be very fragile.

You know the type. In the process of introducing a change in your department, someone starts screaming at you, calling you names, and threatening to tie your shorts in a knot (with you still in them). Believe it or not, what they’re really saying is, “I’m afraid.” Afraid? Yes… afraid. They’re afraid they’re going to fail. But their ego won’t allow them to say that publicly. So, instead, they attack us. If we could get them alone and calmed down long enough to ask them what they’re afraid of (and if they don’t punch us in the nose for even asking) they might admit to us that they’re afraid of failure. They’re afraid they won’t be able to learn the new stuff or adapt to the new procedure.

For them, it’s not so much about knowing how to do it as it is not looking like a fool for not knowing how to do it. We can offer them some special one-on-one time to help them learn and master the new way of doing things.

It can be good for their fragile ego to also have them help teach newer members things they know a lot about.

Tape a picture of Gumby in his or her locker to remind him or her to be flexible.

Differences of opinion: If a department has 40 members then we know one thing for sure: there are 40 opinions about how to do something. I’ve never met a firefighter Continued on next page

January - March 2014 | 15

Continued from previous page

who didn’t have an opinion on any topic being discussed (unless it’s a significant other asking for advice about how a certain outfit looks on them).

Having differing opinions and an environment that promotes sharing opinions is actually a good thing. It’s an indication of a healthy organization where members feel free to disagree (without being disagreeable). This can lead to healthy debates and help improve the quality of decisions being made. Unfortunately, some firefighters are pontificating, self-righteous, hot air balloons who want to argue for the sake of the argument.

These people are counter-productive and need to be dealt with. Invite them to meet with you after the meeting in your office or a private location. Explain to them the ground rules for a healthy debate and the expectations of professional behavior.

16 | UFRA Straight Tip

If needed, document the expected behavior and give them a personal copy to refer to. If repeated attempts to correct the problem do not work, tape an application to a neighboring department in their locker.

Status quo: Some people just want everything to stay the same. If you listen closely, you might hear them praying, “The way it is… is the way it was… is the way it will always be… and for that, I am grateful.

Amen.” We’re all, to some extent, creatures of habit and like some things left alone. It’s quite easy to accept a change when we are the creators of it. We have total control over this type of change.

It’s altogether different to accept change when it’s being heaped on us from someone else and we have no control over it. Even the most change resilient people have things in their lives that they like to be the same. Each of us secretly knows the things we like and don’t want changed.

Each of us can also recall a time when we were anxious,

photography by Fitzgerald Peterson

angry, or fearful when something we’d become used to changed without our knowledge or approval. So, before we criticize the person with status quo-itis, reflect on a time in our past when we faced an uncomfortable change.

For those with status quo-it is, we can appeal to his or her sense of reason, reminding him or her of all the changes both within and outside the fire department over the past 10 years. Talk about coping and adjusting to each of those changes and how he or she overcame anxiety, anger, and fear. As a visual aid to remind him or her that change happens all the time and we can adapt, tape a picture of a 1971 Pinto in his or her locker. If he or she looks at it and says, “Those were the good ole days,” there’s hope for him or her. If he looks at it and says, “Hey, who took this picture of my car?” Well, if that’s the case, you might need to remind him or her that 27 people died in fuel tank fires during the 1970’s in Ford Pintos and suggest that it’s time he or she move on. Tape an ad for a 1986 Ford Taurus in his or her locker. Remember… baby steps.

Change is inevitable in our lives. We cannot escape it.

Let us all resolve to be more understanding and patient of those who resist change. Equally, let us vow to continue our tenacity to change the things that improve the service we provide.

Richard B. Gasaway, PhD has served 30+ years in public safety including 22 years as a chief officer. He holds bachelors, masters and doctor of philosophy degrees in finance, economics, business administration and leadership. Dr. Gasaway operates the Situational Awareness Matters!™ Website (www.SAMatters.com). He provides programs on firefighter safety and leadership to departments throughout the United States and Canada. He also hosts the Leader’s Toolbox podcast radio show on Firehouse.com.

January - March 2014 | 17

VIEW FROM THE HILL

by Steve Lutz

One of the most intractable challenges facing communities in the arid west is Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) fire. Utah is no exception. Development has crept up countless canyons and hillsides into areas of dense forest or brush. In general, there is little concern for the new fire danger proposed as this building trend increases. The problem includes little cabins as well as McMansions and is often made worse by local ordinances or covenants permitting or even insisting on landscaping, which can bring fire right up to a structure.

The list included:

The difficulty for firefighters increases with poor access, insufficient water supply, and flammable building materials and designs. Another difficulty is knowing who can handle the problem when a fire does break out.

Few if any local jurisdictions have sufficient resources to mount an extended wildfire attack in the interface extending beyond a few acres. Resources from local state and federal agencies will usually be needed, and then the question of “who pays for what” rears its head.

Eventually Senator Stowell abandoned the task force and sponsored legislation, of limited scope, requiring counties to meet standards to be set by the Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands (FFSL) to be eligible for Suppression Fund enrollment.

As with solutions to any difficult problem, the first step after recognition is to stop making it worse. In 2008, the late State Senator Dennis Stowell attempted a solution by way of a WUI interim study to examine the problem. The group met periodically and came up with a list of actions that could be implemented to begin to contain the WUI problem and associated costs. The list was to become the basis for a bill but consensus for final proposal could not be reached and specific funding sources were not agreed upon.

18 | UFRA Straight Tip

• Enable municipalities to join the Wildland Suppression Fund • Establish a WUI fuels mitigation fund • Adopt the ICC WUI Code statewide • Increase local WUI code education, enforcement, and awareness efforts • Increase state and local WUI suppression capabilities

Following passage, FFSL adapted the 2006 ICC WUI Code for use in Utah and required, by rule, that counties adopt the WUI code, or an approved equivalent; provide proper training and equipment for Wildland firefighting; provide a budget for Wildland firefighting; sign a memorandum of understanding with the state, etc.

Unfortunately, Senator Stowell died before he could finish the job he started. His successor, Senator Evan Vickers, has picked up the torch and reignited the discussion.

Several recent meetings around the state have helped define the parameters for new legislation. Vickers has opened two bill files; one would allow cities and towns to join the suppression fund. The other would establish a mitigation fund to help with fuels reduction in the interface.

If the recent Utah fire season brought anything good, it was a message that defensible space and Firewise building and landscaping works. The homes that survived the Rockport 5 Fire didn’t burn because they had defensible space and were not as flammable as some of their neighbors. Hopefully, passing new legislation will, at the very least, stop making the situation any worse or better yet, help reduce risk statewide.

LAYTON ADOPTS SMART911 TECHNOLOGY The sounds of a physical fight were unmistakable. Over the 9-1-1 lines, I heard a woman ask for an ambulance and the police, but she was unable to give a complete address before dropping the phone to the floor. The line was now open, and although I could still hear sounds of a struggle, she could not hear me asking again and again for her address. I tried the resources at my disposal: I checked to see if her cell phone had ever called us before, checked if her phone had provided us with GPS coordinates, and finally pinged the phone.

Sadly, this scenario plays out all too often. Our dispatch center in Layton sees over 85% of our 9-1-1 calls coming from cell phones. On most calls, the caller can relay his or her location and other pertinent details. But on some calls, the information can be hard to obtain due to a communication issue, a medical condition, or the stress of a crisis situation. Even though we know there’s a problem, our units can’t respond until we know where the problem is located.

Smart911 is a new program to help us bridge that gap by allowing citizens to supply information in advance, in case they need to call 9-1-1 later. Citizens create a “Safety Profile” on the Smart911.com website, and when they call from any registered phone number (cell, land line, or VoIP), the profile information is displayed to the 9-1-1 dispatcher. Residents can provide as much or as little information as they feel comfortable, including names, addresses, descriptions, pictures, allergy information, rescue needs, and medical conditions. The information stays private and is only displayed to our dispatch center when the caller dials 9-1-1.

is that other Utah communities will see the programs success in our city and find the value in implementing the service it their city.

The Smart911 service is helping to provide our citizens with even better service by making critical, life safety information available to the responding police and fire units.

The groups that will find Smart911 especially valuable include families with children; elderly and seniors; victims of domestic violence; those who are deaf, hard of hearing, or blind; families with autistic members; those with physical or developmental disabilities; people with allergies or other medical conditions; and pet owners.

In addition to making this information available to dispatchers, officers and firefighters can pull up the active Safety Profile from their vehicles to view pictures of persons or buildings and see any access instructions for hard-to-find locations. Once the call is completed, the information becomes private again and unavailable until the caller dials 9-1-1 again, ensuring privacy and security.

Karl J Kuehn is the Communications Manager at the Layton City Police Department. He has worked in the dispatch field since 1998 and currently serves as the Vice President of the Utah Chapter of the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO).

Smart911 is free to the public and anyone can sign up for a Safety Profile. About 400 dispatch centers in the country have adopted this new technology, and Layton is the first agency in Utah to utilize Smart911. Our hope January - March 2014 | 19

DEPARTMENT IN FOCUS

NORTH DAVIS FIRE DISTRICT Everything that takes place in and everyone that works for the North Davis Fire District (NDFD) is measured against the standards cited in the “Chief’s Bull’s-eye.” Mark Becraft introduced the Chief’s Bull’s-eye to his crew as the Deputy Chief in 2010. After the former fire chief, Roger Bodily, took a new position with another fire agency in March 2013, Becraft was appointed as the new NDFD Fire Chief in spring 2013.

“It’s [Chief’s Bull’s-eye] a reminder of what I expect of myself, as well as of my firefighters,” said Chief Becraft.

The Chief has been a firefighter for over 27 years, working for the Roy Fire Department for most of that time.

As a firefighter he took a leadership class from Chief Jeff Johnson, and that’s where he first learned about the Chief’s Bull’s-eye. “I felt that the characteristics cited in the Chief’s Bull’s-eye empower my people to do the right thing – to provide the best customer service for the people in and around our district.”

With 20 full-time firefighters/EMTs and 15-20 part-time firefighters/EMTs (including interns from Davis Applied Technology College that volunteer part time for the District), the NDFD does a great job of providing emergency services to Clearfield and West Point, as well as the surrounding communities.

“We have automatic and mutual aid agreements with the surrounding communities to provide three engines, one ladder truck, and one ambulance on all first alarm structure fires,” said Becraft. The number of alarms refers to the size of a fire. “We have built a great working relationship with Clearfield’s and West Point’s city staffs, as well as a mutual respect with other fire agencies. No one station can do it alone. For example, on a recent Clearfield trailer fire - a one-alarm fire - the Layton, Kaysville, and Syracuse fire

20 | UFRA Straight Tip

departments all helped. We do the same for their communities.”

The NDFD currently handles 2,800 incidents a year, with about two-thirds of the calls coming from Clearfield.

And, even though it’s called a fire district, approximately 80% of the calls to which they respond have nothing to do with fire. The majority of their calls are medical emergencies – cardiac arrests, seizures, diabetic, technologically assisted calls (people on ventilators, or LVADs [Left Ventricular Assist Device]), overdoses, falls, car accidents, and industrial accidents.

At one time, Clearfield City had its own fire department, which was created around the time World War II began.

In 2002, it was proposed that a consolidated fire agency, servicing multiple cities, would provide cost savings and a higher level of fire protection services for participating cities. Based on the results of a feasibility study, the cities of Clearfield and West Point decided to continue along the path toward consolidation, and the North Davis Fire District was formed in October 2004.

The NDFD has two fire stations: one in Clearfield built in 1980 and their headquarters in West Point, which opened its doors in 2007. The District purchased the Clearfield fire station from the city last year and spent $80,000 remodeling it. The station was repainted, new carpet was added throughout, safety flooring was installed, the weight room and living areas were remodeled, a new training room was added, new plumbing and toilet fixtures were added, and a fence and landscaping upgrades were installed outside.

In addition to medical emergencies, fires, and automatic aid, the NDFD provides fire code enforcement and fire prevention education services.

“Most of the residential growth is taking place in West Point but business-wise there are lots of new projects in Clearfield,” said Becraft. The District handles building pre-planning inspections, as well as annual business inspections.

800 N

Loy Blake Park

300 N

107

107

the HAZMAT Task Force, and the Arson Task Force.

They can also respond outside the county, if requested.

“We take our two firefighting clowns, Gus and Smoke Stack, to the schools and the kids just love it,” shared Firefighter Chris Tremea, who heads up the NDFD public education team. “It’s a really fun way for us to be involved with the kids.”

The NDFD uses the Emergency Reporting System (ERS), a fire and medical web-based software program, which has increased firefighter efficiency and improved call response times.

The public education team looks for trends in the types of emergency calls they are receiving and gears their safety education to those topics. For instance, train safety has been a hot topic this year, as well as teaching children not to play around or behind vehicles.

The District owns two engines, two ladder trucks, four ambulances, and two brush trucks. A new ambulance was recently ordered, which replaces a 1999 model, and will be housed at the Clearfield station.

“We have a new 75-foot aerial truck, which we keep at the Clearfield station, and now this new ambulance,” Chief Becraft said. “They are both equipped with the latest emergency response apparatus, which helps us in handling an ever-growing array of emergency calls. Every year our number of emergency calls increases. We are keeping pace with the communities we serve, and as the calls increase we’ll hire more firefighters and purchase emergency apparatus as necessary.”

2000 W

Your children are probably familiar with the public education team of firefighters that visit area elementary schools, not only in Clearfield and West Point but in Clinton and Sunset, as well. The team also organizes the annual Fire Prevention Week Open Houses that the District holds every October, and provides training for Clearfield’s and West Point’s Citizen Emergency Response Team (CERT) participants.

Rock Creek Park

Stee 1000 W

300 N

108 tax dollars, grants, The District is funded by property impact fees, permit fees, and ambulance fees. Permit fees include funds received from firework permits, hazardous materials permits, home day-care inspections, and commercial inspections.

“Our firefighters use District - provided iPads to file their call reports while out in the field, and it’s easier to find emergency call addresses since the firefighters have access to Google Maps,” said NDFD Captain Allen Hadley of Company B. “Our number one priority is providing quality service to the public. Our department lives by the Chief’s Bull’s-eye,” said Chief Becraft. “We have a great team of firefighters.

Their turnout goal, that is, the time between receiving the dispatch call to being in the fire truck or ambulance, ready to go, is one minute. The public can help us by making sure your street address is visible during all seasons, and if possible, having someone in front of the business or residence flagging us down. Every second counts.”

The Chief continued, “We are also increasing our expertise in specialty teams, such as the Arson Task Force and Region 1 Urban Search and Rescue.”

Currently, some of the District’s firefighters help out other agencies, such as the Davis County Wildland Task Team,

January - March 2014 | 21

1000 W

West Point

470 N East Park

1300 W

300 N

750 W

500 N

3000 W

108

North Davis Fire District 107

800 N

1000 W

2000 W 800 N

DEATHS: Brigham Bradley, 32, died in a tragic accident on August 23, 2013.

Brigham began working as a corrections officer for the Weber County Sheriff’s Office in 2011 and served as an emergency medical technician in the jail’s medical unit. He was also a part time firefighter for the Syracuse Fire Department.

Retired Firefighter Michael (Mike) Pulver passed away in his home on August 31, 2013 from Alzheimer’s. Michael served in the Payson City Fire Department for over 30 years as a dedicated firefighter and was elected into the Utah State Firemen’s Association where he served as president from 2000 to 2001. Michael also served in Viet Nam from July 7, 1966 to July 3, 1969.

22 | UFRA Straight Tip

RETIREMENTS: Firefighter Bruce Ballard passed away September 9, 2013 due to primary central nervous system lymphoma. Bruce began his career with West Jordan in 1984 as a police officer. After obtaining his firefighter and EMT certifications in 1986, he changed his career path to the fire service. Bruce was a Hazardous Materials Technician and received a commendation for his work as such during a Ricin incident at a West Jordan Storage facility in 1996. Bruce had a strong work ethic and was well known for “keeping the standard” when it came to physical fitness and firefighting operations.

ATK Fire Chief Tony Auger is retiring after 26 years of fire service.

In 1989, he became a member of the Thiokol Fire Department at Promontory. In 1994, Tony was promoted to Captain, 2004 to Battalion Chief, and 2011 Fire Chief.

He also worked at the Brigham City and Roy City Fire Departments part time throughout his career. Thiokol Promontory was acquired by Alliant Technology (ATK), which has a plant in Clearfield, Utah and Bacchus Operations in Magna, Utah. At the time of his promotion to Fire Chief, Tony was over both Bacchus and Promontory fire departments.

Robert “Butch” LaVell Swenson passed away on October 30, 2013. Butch served in the Army, followed by over 31 years with the Salt Lake County Fire Department (now Unified Fire), retiring as an Assistant Fire Chief. He continued working after retirement for 10 years as Summit County’s Emergency Services Manager.

One of our great firefighter/ paramedics, Glenae Turley, is taking a medical retirement to focus on her cancer treatment. Donations can be made to the Glenae Turley Fund at any Mountain America Credit Union.

Paramedic of the Year CHIEF PROMOTIONS: With the retirement of Chief Tony Auger in November, Blair Westergard was promoted to Chief of the ATK Fire Department. Blair has been employed at ATK for 30 years, serving with the fire department for 16 years. He was previously serving as Battalion Chief. Blair is also a 30-year member of the Tremonton Fire Department.

RECOGNITIONS: Hill Air Force Based named Shirley LeRoy Ball an honorary chief on his 100th birthday for his decades of service as a Hill Air Force Base firefighter.

A special ceremony was held in Ball’s honor and it was noted that he still holds a record safety rating for the least property loss.

The State of Utah Bureau of Emergency Services awarded “Paramedic Of The Year” for the State of Utah 2013 to Cody Fisher and Zack Hatch for their heroic life saving actions.

On June 30, 2012 West Valley City Medic Ambulance 74 was dispatched to a cardiac arrest/ possible choking. Normally, additional emergency units West Valley City paramedics Zach Hatch (left) would have been dispatched to assist but there were no and Cody Fisher (right) are pictured with an other West Valley units unnamed woman they saved with an emeravailable due to an apartgency surgical procedure. ment fire. Paramedic Cody Fisher and Paramedic Zack Hatch arrived on scene to find an elderly female outside on the patio, unconscious, cyanotic, with a respiratory rate of 4. Upon visualizing the patient’s airway, a large mass of food was found in the patient’s trachea. Fisher and Hatch were able to remove some of the obstruction but the patient took a deep breathe, which sucked the obstruction further down her trachea and could not be reached. The patient’s airway was now completely blocked and she was no longer breathing. The paramedics quickly loaded the patient into their ambulance for a rapid transport to the emergency room. In route to the hospital, several attempts were made to remove the obstruction but they were unsuccessful. As the patients condition continued to deteriorate Paramedic Fisher made a decision to perform a risky but necessary surgical cricothyrotomy. The paramedics made an incision in the patient’s trachea below the obstruction and inserted a plastic breathing tube. The surgical cricothyrotomy was successful and the patient’s condition improved. The ER staff was surprised that this procedure had been done prior to arrival but noted that the patient most likely survived because of the actions taken by Fisher and Hatch.

The patient made a full recovery and now spends her time with her children and grandchildren. These men performed a very difficult procedure under very difficult and stressful conditions. They are to be commended for their professionalism and incredible success serving the citizens of West Valley City.

This article was originally published by West Valley City.

January - March 2014 | 23

W I LD LAN D What We Already Know On the evening of June 30, 2013, the news confirming that nineteen hotshots had died in the line of duty on the Yarnell Hill Fire in Arizona shocked the nation. There were others like myself who were wondering how something so tragic could happen to nineteen hotshots.

In 1994, after the South Canyon Fire fatalities in Colorado, people were asking the same question. Many were convinced that the investigation report would tell a story of some unrealistic, freakish event that claimed the lives of fourteen wildland firefighters. Yet nothing unusual, phenomenal, or bizarre came out in the report. It wasn’t an act of God. Instead, the reality is that what we read was familiar —things we should have already known because they have happened before.

24 | UFRA Straight Tip

I anticipate a similar realization once the investigative report is published on the Yarnell Hill Fire and the Granite Mountain 19. My bet is the report won’t tell us anything new has happened.

Make no mistake, the investigation report is valid and essential as a learning tool - perhaps even more so if it is predictable. The content will likely focus on LCES, human factors, situational awareness, values, crew cohesion, bowls, chutes, chimneys, down drafts, column collapse, point protection, tactics, strategies, independent action, WUI, structure protection, and downhill egress. All topics we’ve heard before and had many discussions about. Yet, for a small amount of time, these topics were not remembered.

Rockport Fire 2013 photography by Fitzgerald Peterson

In a safety conference I attended, Gordon Graham said, “There are no new ways to get into trouble.” This rings true for the wildland fire culture. I don’t think there will be anything that will happen that is different from what has happened in the past. Somewhere down the line, we’ll see that we’ve made the same mistakes as before.

LCES

I appreciate the honest openness of Darrell Willis (CoFounder Granite Mountain Hotshots) in his interview with the news media (http://www.investigativemedia.com/ granite-mountain-hotshot-crew-founder-darrell-willis-describes-last-moments-of-crew-at-deployment-site/). What he shares gives me some personal mental anguish.

How many times have we heard that if we don’t have LCES in place, then there is something wrong? LCES needs to be continually monitored throughout the shift.

If they are not in place, then we don’t engage until they are in place.

In the news conference Willis mentions, “One of the most emphasized things we do is to establish LCES.” Yet, in the same sentence he says, “There are points during the day that we didn’t have [LCES] in place.”

Continued on next page

January - March 2014 | 25

Continued from previous page

Tactics and Strategy In the same interview Darrell talks about the crew abandoning a tactic of anchor and flank to address some independent action (to do point protection on the structures). Most agree that independent action is critical to the success of catching many wildfires. What we need to learn from this is that when we change tactics and strategies that are working, we need to evaluate the risk vs. gain. We also need to think things out before engaging in another tactic. Someone might ask, “Why are we leaving something that’s working to take the risk of something that may not work?”

Downhill through Bowls, Chutes, and Chimneys Eric Hipke, the only survivor from the uphill run that proved fatal for others at South Canyon, may tell you that there is only a 1 in 14 chance of out-running a fire burning up hill. Anytime we commit to any type of downhill egress the option of successfully going back up the hill in an emergency is “slim to none.”

This is partly because it is so difficult to measure how long it takes to get back up, and then over or through these geographical barriers. We should reevaluate any type of downhill operation, knowing that the only way to safety is back up the hill.

The Value of Situational Awareness In an interview with Juliann Ashcraft, the wife of one of the Yarnell Hotshots (http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=v2OQk2Jc7T4) she mentions the text she received from her husband, Andrew, about how “things are getting wild” and how “Yarnell was looking to burn.”

She acknowledges that those words weren’t common for Andrew. Her situational awareness told her that something was different.

Why is it that Andrew didn’t have the same awareness?

Many of us recognize changes in our surroundings and have “situational awareness.” However, even though we are aware of our surroundings, we sometimes fail to take intelligent action based on what we observe. We get caught up in the moment; and sometimes our field of focus narrows, and we don’t rely on someone else to help us with our blind spots.

26 | UFRA Straight Tip

In every situation, we need to be able to recognize the change - even the slightest change - and make decisions to equalize said change. Sometimes we overreact to the change or ignore it; either way, consequences could be fatal.

Weather and the Collapse of Columns In discussions with personnel who were on the Dude Fire in Arizona, I found out that no one really recognized the collapsing column that brought about what they thought was a weather event with rain, hail, and strong down drafts.

I was on an incident in Utah a few years ago in which a homeowner had me come look at his residence, which had burned down. He couldn’t understand why the front of the yard where he had parked a truck and tractor was still green and the vehicles untouched. One might have thought all his property would have been lost. In reality, weather events caused spotting way ahead and down valley of the main fire, and when finished the fire consumed his residence from the backside because this fire had taken a normal route of burning uphill.

The Yarnell Hill Fire had experienced some of the same types of weather events throughout the day. Those events were broadcast by radio to those on the fire line.

Whether what happened was caused by a column collapsing, a frontal passage, or the buildup of clouds which resulted in down drafts, fires that experience these types of weather occurrences should make us mindful that there is really no main or head of the resulting fire. An established fire can and will come from all directions once down drafts occur.

WUI and the Values at Risk The days of “anchor, flank, and pinch” were days when firefighters would be out in the woods chasing fire, and that didn’t have much in the way of “values at risk.”

The only “values” we were asked to watch out for were ourselves. It’s rare anymore to have a fire that doesn’t include many different “values at risk” that need protect-

ing. The perception of these “values” takes away from the real mission that is, again, to protect ourselves; as we are the real and primary “value at risk.”

Somewhere in our culture perception changed, and we took the responsibility of structure protection upon ourselves. This has never been our mission or responsibility.

When a WUI situation presents itself we really need to evaluate our thought process. This situation gets adrenaline pumping and blurs the ability to make sound and rational decisions, especially when one is too familiar with the community and/or know who lives in the affected and surrounding houses. It’s much harder to disengage when there is an emotional attachment involved.

The perception of our responsibility to protect structures is real; don’t think for a moment you can’t get caught up in it. Remember: we are truly the only value that needs to be protected.

Each individual has to give up some personal values for a team to be successful. Best results are produced when team members don’t let personal values compromise their team; however, some personal and team values just don’t mix. The reality is when decisions are made as a team - having a consensus that “this is what we are going or not going to do”—a group owns the decision, and the team may lose.

There are no new ways to get into trouble.

We have gone through these situations before, and I’m quite certain we will be there again. Acknowledging this fact may or may not help us heal depending on how we choose to process and use the information—“the information we already know.”

If we take what we already know and put it to good use, it will help us come to a full understanding of the real, tangible, human values at risk.

Values and Crew Cohesion All decisions are based on values. I believe that co-workers and team members should be open to share personal values. The more values that are shared, the more cohesive everyone becomes. If we know and understand the values of one another, we can appreciate, trust, and accept their decisions more easily. I find this to be critical in the quest to become better team players.

Teams, as a group, also have shared values. We make decisions based on what our team’s values are. If we accept team values, then an entire team either reaps the rewards or pays the consequences together. If one chooses to navigate only by his or her own values, then the rewards or consequences fall directly on them alone.

Rowdy Muir started his career in 1985 with the Forest Service.

He started in the Timber program and worked his way through Range, Fisheries, Recreation, and Fire programs. He has been a Fire Management Officer for both the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service. He recently ended a 6 year stint as a National Type I Incident Commander. Muir has been the Incident Commander on many large fires and All-Risk assignments all over the US, including the largest fire in Utah History (Milford Flat).

There are a lot of rewards as a result of being on a team that succeeds or excels. We see this in so many different scenarios, such as: a filmed story of the 1980 US Olympic hockey team winning gold, Shackleton’s crew navigating their way home through the Antarctic, and in our modules, crews, sections, and staffs.

January - March 2014 | 27

Can’t We All Just Get Along Building Relationships at Work I have been conducting leadership training for many years.

One of the most interesting topics that I deal with is work relationships. I have found that relationships can often seem like fragile things - especially in the workplace, where they are often built and destroyed by the actions we take and the words we speak.

I have always believed and have continually said, “There is no issue more important than relationships.”

Here is an example: when I was the Fire Marshal for the Santa Monica Fire Department, I was assigned the task to be the ad hoc committee chair and coordinate the development of the city’s emergency response plan. Every department in the city assigned a second level supervisor to the committee.

Assuming that all the committee members were made aware of the committee by their bosses (that was my first mistake), I sent out an e-mail letting all the members know who I was and what our committee goals were. I also set a date and time for the first meeting. I didn’t ask for an RSVP because I just assumed they would show up (second mistake). Well, no one showed, except a police sergeant. I asked the sergeant if he knew what the meeting was about. He said, “Nope, I’m on light duty and they told me just to show up.” So much for assuming we were all on the same page.

I knew I had to take a different approach. I first discussed the situation with my boss, the fire chief. I asked him to have a discussion with all the other department heads. He said he would. My next step was to personally meet with all the committee members. When we met, I introduced myself, discussed the project, and personally invited them to the next scheduled meeting. Well, it worked. All the committee members attended the meeting, and we developed a very comprehensive emergency response plan. My most important insight from this experience was that we have the technical resources and material to solve all the problems we have. What is missing is the willingness and the skills to work together. This requires us to listen to each other. Indeed listening is the underlying skill required in all good relationships. In my experience, active listening can help you discover, that we want the same things.

28 | UFRA Straight Tip

We should try to develop effective relationships. In an effective relationship people listen to others’ positions and feelings. The simplest way to understand what is important to another person is to ask, then listen to the answer.

We all know when someone is really interested in us.

The other person is attentive, does not interrupt, does not fidget, and does not speak about himself or herself. This gives us time to fully express ourselves and feel accepted, rather than feel judged. Listening leads to understanding.

If you understand someone else fully, then you know what to do to get closer and work better together.

I have observed the following scenario several times in my career. The fire chief has been a long-time member of the department. A history of mistrust or stereotyping has developed between the chief and the troops. They blame each other for the difficult relationship. The chief and the troops focus on the tasks and exclude the feelings and needs of others. The troops believe that the organizational goals are unclear and there is no direction given to them.

The chief disagrees and the relationships are destroyed.

After a time, the chief leaves the organization and the new chief is a relationship person. The new chief indicates relationships are important and has the ability to listen effectively and without judgment. The troops respond, and a culture is developed where people can express their feelings. Effective relationships are developed, and everyone makes the effort to help each other.

Respect is the core of any good relationship. In order to make our relationships more effective, we should treat others and ourselves with respect. We show respect by listening to the other person and trying to understand how they view things. Quickly forming judgments based on prejudice is the complete opposite of respect. You can respect people (even if you find their thoughts and behavior difficult to understand) by acknowledging that they are doing the best they can when their circumstances and history are taken into account.

In exploring what helps us to build effective relationships, perhaps I can pass on some advice that I have drawn from personal experience and from training workshops.

1. Ensure that there is consistency between your words and actions. Your credibility will be reinforced by “walking the talk.” However, it will be rapidly lost if there are discrepancies between what you say and the actions that you take.

2. Learn to listen effectively and without judgment. Effective and non-judgmental listening

“

5. Earn people’s respect. One way to build relationships is to earn people’s respect. You earn respect through your attitude, quality of work, reliability, and being nice. People will be more likely to build a deeper relationship with you if they respect you.

6. Develop a “glass house standard” for your behavior that reflects your integrity. Act as if others can view your actions and adopt the perspective expressed by Will Rogers, “Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip.”

7. Be truthful in your communications.

Recognize that the trust that you have established will be undermined or destroyed if it comes to others’ attention that you are providing information or making statements that you know to be inaccurate.

8. If you make a mistake, avoid shifting blame to others in an attempt to keep your reputation from being tarnished. Instead, take responsibility for your actions and implement steps to prevent future occurrences.

9. Make decisions and take actions based on organizational expectations and generally accepted ethical standards. Adhere to established policies, procedures, and practices. Take ethical principles into consideration, regardless of the situation.

10. Recognize that a reputation of trust is fragile and, therefore, requires ongoing attention and self-discipline. Keep in mind that the efforts and length of time required to establish your reputation are extensive when compared to the minutes that it takes to mar what you have built.

Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip.

”

will help you to understand the other person or people. When someone listens to you, both your own sense of worth and the worth of the listener increases. Judging another person almost always creates distance and defensiveness.

3. Develop a culture where people can express their feelings. We create relationships by sharing thoughts and feelings. When we express happiness, joy, contentment, anger, irritation, sadness, or fear we feel more vulnerable, but we can also feel more connected. Unexpressed feelings can get in the way of building closeness. It is difficult for two people to have a useful conversation if one of them is unaware that the other is angry about what the other said or did. There is a good chance that this will result in a cold or aggressive atmosphere when these two people communicate.

Organizational cultures that encourage people to connect can generate a passionate commitment to achieve wonderful things together.

4. Don’t join in with gossip or rumormongering.

It is always tempting to join in with the gossip as a way of being part of the in-group. Rumors are the life blood of many organizations. The rumor mill is the harvest of inadequate communication.

They blossom when official channels of communication fail. Stay away from spreading gossip or rumors. Get the facts. You will often find the facts are very different from the rumor you heard.

Paul Stein retired as Chief Officer from California’s Santa Monica Fire Department. After retirement he served as Interim Fire Chief for the Lakeside Fire Department in California. He holds an A.S. Degree in Fire Technology and a B.A. Degree in Management. Chief Stein is a Master Instructor for the California Department of Education.

January - March 2014 | 29

Remote FDC’s: They Just Make Sense The Fire Department Connection, or “FDC,” as it is commonly called, is one device the fire department hopes to never use. Typically, if it is being used, this means the building it serves is likely experiencing a large fire that has bypassed the initial suppression efforts of the automatic fire sprinkler system. The FDC is defined exactly as its name indicates; it is a connection point for the fire department to attach a hose and supplement the automatic fire sprinkler system in a building with additional water and water pressure. Originally designed for use in metropolitan areas with high-rise buildings spaced closely together, FDC’s can now be found on virtually every fire-sprinkler protected structure. FDC’s can be found in various shapes, sizes, and orientations, depending on the size of the building or buildings it serves, and the size of hose connection desired by the local fire department. However, in this article we will be specifically discussing a better option in regards to the location of the FDC, whether it is a single hose connection, a Siamese setup, or a large multi-inlet manifold system; the ‘remote’ or freestanding FDC. Many jurisdictions throughout the state are starting to require remote FDC’s instead of units that are mounted directly on (in reality, through) the exterior wall of the building. The International Fire Code and NFPA 13 both allow the local Fire Chief to require a remote FDC, if so desired. Some of the departments I work with require the remote FDC to be installed in a location that meets the following requirements:

30 | UFRA Straight Tip

- The FDC shall be located at least 1.5 times the building height away from the building, in case of wall collapse.

- It shall be located on, at, or near a fire department access road.

- It shall be located within 10' - 150' of a fire hydrant.

- It shall have vehicle impact protection around it to prevent damage.

The requirement that the unit be at least 1.5 times the building height away from the building makes perfect sense. This not only solves the problem of the fire department having to pull right up next to a burning building to attach to a traditional FDC, but also helps to keep your firefighters out of harms way should a building wall collapse outwards. For example, if the exterior wall height is 40', the remote FDC would be located at least 60' away from the building. The requirement to place the unit on a fire department access road near a fire hydrant is for convenience and quick location by responding fire crews.

If the hydrant and FDC are side-by-side, the first responders can decide whether to attach to one, both, or quickly switch to the FDC if the situation dictates. The vehicle impact protection requirement is there simply to protect the device from damage by poorly skilled civilian drivers or overzealous apparatus operators.

photography by Todd Hohbein

The remote FDC offers many advantages to the fire service and few disadvantages: Pros of a Remote FDC - Eliminates the need for the fire department to place personnel and apparatus directly next to a burning building.

- Much easier to locate at a fire scene (especially in darkness) if the remote FDC is located near a fire hydrant.

- Keeps department personnel out of the collapse zone when using the FDC. - Practically eliminates the problem of FDC’s being obstructed by parking spaces, shrubbery, signage, storage, and other problems associated with the direct-to-building FDC’s.

- When using the remote FDC, Incident Commanders and other personnel who are further away from the building can have a better view of what is going on in and around the fire scene and the structure.

- Firefighters do not need to drag hose very far if the remote FDC is on a fire access road.

- Ideal for schools, hospitals, jails, and other large, sprawling structures.

Cons of a Remote FDC - Typically cannot be installed in inner-city areas, or locations where property lines are tight, and/or where side yards are minimal.

- They are much more expensive and laborintensive to install than traditional FDC’s.

- Many departments and inspectors use the traditional FDC as a means to locate the fire sprinkler riser room. With a remote unit, that visual assistance does not apply.

- Typically a remote FDC will require an automatic low point drain (a/k/a ball drip drain)

underground, at the low point of the system piping. (A ball drip drain is simply an outlet with a hollow brass ball inside. When water is flowing through the FDC piping, the ball stays seated on top of a small opening. When water is static, the ball floats to the top of the water level, and water is allowed to drain out through the opening very slowly and into the ground).

The prudent inspector will have to view the underground piping to make sure this drain is installed properly.

I believe the positives far outweigh the negatives. The additional safety and practicality that the remote FDC presents makes it a much better option in almost every instance. If you as an inspector and/or plan reviewer let the architect know during the planning phases that a remote FDC will be required, they can plan accordingly and place the device where you want it outside the footprint of the building. A jurisdiction I work with on a regular basis has been requiring remote FDC’s on every sprinkler-protected structure for the last several years. After the initial shock and questions from architects and project managers, they now simply include them on the plans and specification books for every project built within this particular area. It has become considered a ‘normal’ requirement.

So the next time you have a project coming into town that requires a sprinkler system, don’t be afraid to request or require a remote FDC. The advantages they provide in firefighter safety make sense, and may just save lives.

Be safe and inspect thoroughly!

Todd Hohbein has been employed with the State of Utah Fire Marshal’s Office since 2000. He is an ICC certified Fire Marshal, Fire Inspector II, Fire Plans Examiner, Building Inspector, and Building Plans Examiner. Todd was previously with the Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s Office from 1997-2000. Todd lives in LaVerkin, and his jurisdiction as a fire marshal includes Washington, Iron, Beaver, and Kane counties.

January - March 2014 | 31

VENTILATION AIR PATH

photography by Fitzgerald Peterson

When we arrive at a structure fire, it is our goal to improve the situation. Some of our actions may actually be making the situation worse before we begin to make it better. How? When and where we open for access and ventilation is case in point.

The knowledge that fires are ventilation controlled is nothing new. As firefighters we understand this and have witnessed the rapid growth of fire once we complete ventilation. We understand the effects of closing a door to limit fire growth. We understand the principle of the atmosphere being too rich or too lean to burn. We understand the

32 | UFRA Straight Tip

concepts of back draft and smoke explosion and the more common phenomenon of rapid flameover and flashover.

Venting the fire gives it the air (oxygen) that it needs to complete and continue the combustion process. Keeping doors closed and windows intact will cause the oxygen level to decrease and contain the buildup of fire gasses and smoke particles within the container (room or structure). If the container is tight and remains sealed, flaming combustion will cease and temperatures in the container will begin to rapidly decrease. The level of carbon monoxide will increase dramatically along with other toxic and flammable fire gasses.

MANAGEMENT When an opening is made, fresh air will be drawn into the compartment and provide the necessary oxygen to support combustion. This combustion process can be rapid, if not explosive. The combustion process can involve combustible solids, as well as smoke and flammable fire gasses such as carbon monoxide.

Ventilation should be a controlled event, if possible.

Simply, this means it must be planned and coordinated to produce the desired effect. The vent point should be as close to the location of the fire as possible. The vent should be opened before the entry point is opened, providing a path of air movement toward the fire.

Have you watched fire venting from a window? Have you stopped to think about the air path that is sustaining the fire? Here are some things to consider. If the venting fire fills the entire window opening, the combustion air is coming from another location. In other words, if venting fire is filling the entire opening, there is no ability for fresh air to be entering at that vent point. The air is coming from somewhere else, another opening.

If fire is venting out of the top portion of the window and the lower window opening is not filled with fire, air is being drawn into the fire through the lower window beneath the flames and the neutral plane. This is the air flow path feeding the fire.

Have you seen fire and thick black smoke pulsing out of a window or door? The cause of the pulse is, as some describe it, the fire is trying to breathe. The smoke and fire trying to leave the container are in competition with the combustion air being drawn into the container. The result is a pulsating effect of outward and inward air movement.

You might say the fire is out-of-balance, as opposed to the free venting of fire from an opening described earlier.

In the situation described above, if firefighters break an adjoining window or open a door, establishing a flow path for combustion air, the fire will go into balance and begin to grow. Remember, any vented fire will grow quickly.

Fire will also travel toward the vent. If the vent is opened remotely from the fire (opening an entry door, breaking a window, opening the roof) the fire will begin traveling toward the vent. Fire and fire gasses (smoke) will always take the path of least resistance toward the vent opening.

When firefighters open a door for entry into the structure, an air flow path is established. If the fire compartment is open to the air path, the fire will grow rapidly and move toward the door and the entry point for the firefighters.

Firefighters should not create vents (opening doors or breaking windows) before they are ready to advance with a loaded hose line. If you vent before you are ready to advance, the fire will grow rapidly and extend toward the vent. This action can place viable victims and firefighters in jeopardy. The extending fire can increase the possibility of flashover, and opening improperly can create a situation ideal for the rapid ignition of fire gasses (smoke). Remember, our goal was to improve the situation!

Have you ever opened a door and left it open before you were ready to advance the hose line? Have you ever broken out windows without a coordinated plan or without being ready to advance the hose line? We see it all the time. This is what happens when we act without thinking. Ventilation must be a planned and coordinated event for it to be successful. This means we are managing and controlling the air path to the fire. We only get so many chances to get it right, so don’t waste the opportunities when they arise.

Stephen H. Higgs began his fire service career in 1977 with the Salt Lake City Fire Department. Higgs served as a firefighter/paramedic, lieutenant, captain, battalion chief, and deputy chief over fire operations. In 2000, he accepted the position of fire chief with Midvale City Fire Department. On July 1st, 2011, Midvale Fire merged with the Unified Fire Authority of Greater Salt Lake (UFA); Higgs now serves as an assistant chief with the UFA. Higgs holds degrees in building construction and fire science. He has completed Executive Fire Officer Course work at the National Fire Academy and is a graduate of the Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. He is a FEMA certified emergency manager as well as an adjunct instructor for UFRA.

January - March 2014 | 33

Climbing the Ladder

Mark Becraft was promoted to Fire Chief on 5/16/2013

North Davis Fire District

John Taylor was promoted to Deputy Fire Chief on 6/19/2013

Allen Hadley was promoted to Captain on 7/18/2013

Pleasant Grove Fire Department Pictured from left to right: Lieutenant Justin Whatcott, Lieutenant Chase Gustman, Lieutenant Britt Clark & Battalion Chief Corey Cluff

Pleasant Grove Fire Department recently made changes to the department’s command staff organization. Due to the reorganization, the department announces the following promotions.

Captain Corey Cluff was promoted to Battalion Chief. The following were promoted to Lieutenant: Justin Whatcott, Chase Gustman, and Britt Clark.

34 | UFRA Straight Tip

West Valley Fire Department West Valley Fire Department promotions: Battalion Chief Mark Ownsbey Captain Bryan Larsen Captain Rob Moser Engineer Sean Hoffman Engineer Jeremy Wann Engineer Aaron Kissell Engineer Nate Hansen Engineer Mary Lindsay Engineer Kevin Pagel

The Ten Points of Leadership I once read a book about four star generals and admirals.

At the end of the book was an article about comments given to a group of new brigadier generals. It was given as part of a two-day training session at the Pentagon to brief new generals on his or her promotion. Unofficially, it was referred to as “Charm School.” The presenter was General Louis L. Wilson, Jr. a graduate of West Point a former air force inspector general, and Commander in Chief of the Pacific Air Force.

The General looked at the canned speech that was normally given and decided to change it. He went over thoughts of his success and failure as a leader over the years. He felt there was a real need for guidance for these new commanders. Therefore, he presented the following:

The Ten Points of Leadership

1

Be Tough: Set your standards high and encourage your people to meet them. Tell them what your standards and expectations are.

2

Get Out From Behind Your Desk: In the modern day vernacular we call it “Management by wandering around.” Go see what’s happening for yourself.

Your people will see you are interested in their problems and welfare.

3

Find the Critical Path to Success: Prioritize your activities; don’t waste time on trivial matters. Become personally involved, don’t leave things to chance.

4

Be Sensitive: Listen to your people. Be perceptive and communicate often. Empathize with your people.

Ask for input, seek ideas. Be innovative and creative.

5

Don’t Take Things for Granted: Keep on top of things. Don’t assume anything. If something needs to be fixed - do it, don’t procrastinate, then monitor it.

6

Search out the Problems: “If you think there are no problems in your organization, you are ignorant.”

Search out the problems, find them. Foster an environment that encourages open, clear communications. If you shun problems they will get bigger.

7

Don’t Alibi: Just take care of the problem - fix it. We know that people make mistakes. So don’t be defensive when things go wrong. Nothing is worse than someone who has an alibi for everything that goes wrong.

8

Don’t Procrastinate: The problem only gets worse if you procrastinate. Therefore, address the problems when they arise. Don’t put off hard decisions - make them. It won’t really be easier tomorrow. Just do it.

9

Don’t Tolerate Incompetence: People who are lazy and/or disinterested should be replaced. You need people to get the job done. Have the courage to terminate their assignment. Use positive motivation - encourage people when they are doing good work, recognize their efforts. Then they will do even better.

10

Be Honest: Integrity is one of the most important aspects to someone’s character. People won’t trust you if you’re dishonest. Tell it like it is - be up front with people. Create an atmosphere of trust and confidence. Be an example for your people.

To Sum Up: Your task is to be the leader. It requires hard work, enthusiasm, and sensitivity to what’s going on. Establish your expectations, be involved, and listen. Remember integrity and honesty is basic to everything. Practice these ten points for success as a leader.

Reference: Charles T. Jones and R. Manning Ancell.

(1997). Four-Star Leadership for Leaders. Executive Books. Mechanicsburg, P.A. Al Mozingo is a retired 30-year career firefighter, which was followed by 10 years of teaching terrorism/weapons of mass destruction in the homeland security arena. Mozingo is a nationally known leadership instructor; author of over 350 articles; and has taught more than 2,500 classes, seminars, workshops, and conferences. Additional information on Mozingo can be found on his website, at www.firemanager.com.

January - March 2014 | 35

HEAVY RESCUE

7 essentials to better trench rescues: Part 1 Use this approach to make your trench rescue team safer, faster, and more effective The prevailing question of trench rescue is: How do we do it faster and safer?

Trench rescues have very high morbidity rates because the forces imposed on the victims through soil weight are unforgiving. The window of opportunity to enter the trench and relieve that pressure is very small.

6. Stop using timber and mechanical shoring.

Pneumatics and hydraulics provide a wide array of solutions that will fit a variety of budgets and are remarkably faster and more effective.

7. Use techniques and tools that completely shore the trench from the topside.

Additionally, the likelihood of further engulfment or secondary collapse poses such a significant risk to rescuers that we have to establish engineered systems that will truly protect us.

These seven essentials require training and resources but yield tremendous returns. In this article we will discuss essentials one through four. Essentials five through seven will be discussed next month.

With this being the driving mechanism, I am a firm believer that the approach and layout for trench rescue makes all the difference in the world.

Strongback augmentation

We were indoctrinated into the “technical rescue� way of performing trench rescue until we were exposed to some industrial theories and techniques that were shared with us

by Dennis Hobart of Baker Corp.

There are seven essentials that emerge through blending these industrial concepts with technical rescue concepts that will radically impact the speed, safety and efficiency of a trench rescue operations.

1. Consider removing the bottom of the pop sickle stick or strong back so that it is flush with the bottom edge of the trench panel.

2. Acquire a significant cache of bridging, preferably corrugated aluminum or steel, to frame out the trench.

3. Increase the cribbing cache to support the bridging with remote contact points.

4. Use bridging material as slides when placing trench panels.

5. Acquire low-pressure trench bags for slough operations and trench wall deviations.

36 | UFRA Straight Tip

Trench panels should include a center strong back.

Some applications used around the world apply spotshoring techniques or panel designs without a strong back. Engineering and testing data shows that these options will fail at much lower forces than panels engineered with strong backs.

Most panels are designed with strong backs (2 x 12 feet) that extend above and below the 4- x 8-foot panel by 12 to 24 inches and are fastened to the panel with recessed, engineered carriage bolts. The downside of this design is the bottom 12 to 24 inches of the trench wall is left untouched and ultimately not shored.

This is particularly evident when a slough zone is being back filled with soil and the soil continuously spills out at the bottom of the panel. The advantage of this design is that the strong back acts as a pivot point when placing the panel and facilitates manipulation of the panel during setting operations.

The proposed essential removes the lower section of the strong back providing complete coverage of the trench wall. The advantage is a safer trench.

This holds particularly true in trenches with standing water and propensities for bell pier collapses where the lower portion of the trench is a grave concern. The disadvantage of this design is the loss of a center pivot point, which can make manipulating the panel during setting operations more difficult.

Once these three ground pads are established, place the rest of the ground pads to cover the work zone. Advance bridging material across the trench at each end of the 12foot zone identifiable by the ground pad placement. This bridging should be long enough to extend at least 4 feet past the walls and lips of the trench.

Bridging and framing

Step two

Framing out a trench is a relatively common practice on the industrial side. This is relatively unheard in technicalrescue circles where bridging is typically dimensional timber that is of adequate width to stand on and perform work (2 x 10 or 2 x 12).

This accomplishes two things. It creates a straight edge for clean horizontal and vertical placement of panels and it establishes a working platform for all of the personnel working near the lip of the trench.

Traditional approaches to trench rescue use bridging to span the trench or slough zones. Industrial applications often eliminate ground pads in lieu of bridging because it requires less material and is more versatile.

The industrial side uses corrugated lightweight steel that is 12-inches wide and comes in lengths ranging from 4 to 20 feet. These bridging elements should be built up on the ends with cribbing so that the material is stable and does not contact the immediate soil surface around the trench.

Timber bridging bows excessively under lateral loading compared with corrugated metal. It also cannot be interlocked effectively, whereas the corrugated material can be married flange to flange to create greater width platforms that are stable and relatively rigid.

The proposed application follows a very systematic approach to the trench.

Step one

Approach the side of the trench where the victim is located and place three ground pads with the 4-foot edge at the trench lip. The center ground pad should be where the victim is located.

This creates a spacing template for a six-panel set and maximizes the distance from the trench for the initial placement of load-distribution material.

Orient additional bridging parallel to the trench walls and place it on top of the perpendicular bridging already in place. Advance it until it is positioned above each trench wall so that is vertically in line with the bottom line or joint of the trench floor and wall.

When the parallel bridging rides on top of the perpendicular bridging, a slough or failure of a wall section will not result in personnel spilling into the trench. They will all be left standing on top of the bridging.

The disadvantages of this essential are the requirements for more resources and training. This also may sound more time consuming. However, a trained crew can accomplish this in less than 5 minutes.

Cribbing contact points

Place cribbing layers under the bridging joints and ends to create platforms that have limited contact with the surface soil. This limits the surface loading and greatly reduces the likelihood of point loading causing secondary collapse.

By increasing the working height of these platforms, more advanced applications are also facilitated. For example, intersecting trenches such as “L� trenches that have unstable interior corners can be spanned in a variety of ways that still allow panels to be placed or slid underneath the bridging.

Continued on next page

January - March 2014 | 37

Continued from previous page

Another example is advancing low-pressure airbags and hoses under the parallel working bridges. Gaps between the bridging and ground allow these placements to be done with ease. Wedge packs should also be a part of this cache to fill those necessary voids and make the platforms as stable as possible.

Predictable performance

Panel slides

This is imperative for shoring to perform in a predictable fashion. There is a very limited allowance for deflection in shores both vertically and horizontally. Shoring that is not engineered correctly will fail catastrophically under load.

Using bridging material as slides for the panels will help ensure that the panels are placed safely, accurately and with ease. The first set of panels should go where the victim is or is presumed to be.

Place two slides into the trench that will capture the opposite side wall and floor joint and progress up to the near side wall and lip. These slides should extend above the trench lip. Use a 12-foot slide for an 8-foot-deep trench.

Place two rescuers on each side of the trench panel and one rescuer on the strong back. This panel should be oriented strong back down. All three rescuers should pick up the panel and advance it to the slides.

Have the slides spread apart just enough to accommodate the width of the strong back. Place the panel on the slides and lift the strong back while the two side rescuers control the descent of the sliding panel with the panel ropes. The panel should slide down and make optimal contact with the lower corner.

Establish a receiving crew on the far side of the trench and direct the panel into a vertical position by pushing the slides and panel to the far side crew. Once the panel is in position, the far-side crew pulls the top of the slides towards them, which redirects the bottom side of the slides to the near side lower corner.

The near side crew then picks up the second panel in the same fashion but the strong back is now oriented up.

Advance the panel across the parallel bridging until the bottom edge of the panel contacts the slides. Control the descent with ropes. The panel should come to rest in the near side wall and floor corner.

38 | UFRA Straight Tip

By simply shifting the slides back and forth across the trench and maintaining a width gap just adequate for the strong back, both panels should end up directly across from one another. The use of the top side frame work should result in vertical panels.

Additionally, losing a panel while placing it is an extremely heavy edge impacting the victim, causing significant injury if not death. Slides establish bridges above the victim, which prevent this type of mistake.

Slides also create ideal floor and wall marriages. This help reduce bowing of the strong backs and inaccurate measurements or inability to drop shores in.

Watch the video to fully understand these essentials, and then put them to the test. Take your trench team out and see if these don’t increase the speed, safety and efficiency of your operation. I’d love to hear how this impacts your approach to trench rescue.

BIO

Dalan Zartman is a technical-rescue curriculum subjectmatter expert for the Ohio Emergency Management Agency and Department of Homeland Security. He has also taught more than 100 technical-rescue courses at Bowling Green State University, where he serves as regional training program director and advisory board member. Zartman is a member of and instructor for the Central Ohio Strike Team and the Washington Township Fire Department. He is a certified rescue instructor, rescue technician level II, fire instructor II, firefighter and EMT. Zartman is founder and president of Rescue Methods. You can reach him at Dalan.Zartman@FireRescue1.com.

Sponsored by RESQTEC This article was republished with permission from its original publisher FireRescue1.com.

LOCAL TRENCH RESCUE

Four fire departments, Lehi, Orem, Provo, and Pleasant Grove, have taken the lead with the Special Response Team activity in Utah county. Since a single department in Utah County is not large enough to provide the needed manpower to allow rescuers the ability to perform a safe trench rescue, the multi-department system currently in place works very well. The responders, who came to help in this specific incident, were from Lehi, Pleasant Grove, Orem, Provo, Utah County, and Spanish Fork. This team has trained together for hundreds of man-hours, which was what made this positive outcome possible. photography by Battalion Chief Rick Howard, Lehi City Fire Department

EARN YOUR EMERGENCY SERVICES Now is the time to begin working on your Emergency Services degree or finish the degree you have been working on.

Why should I earn a college degree?

• • •

Personal improvement Preparation for promotion Expand career opportunities

What degrees are offered?

• • • • • •

One-year certificate – Firefighter Recruit Candidate and/or Paramedic.

Associate in Applied Science – Firefighter/Emergency Care and Fire Officer.

Associate in Applied Science – Wildland Fire Management Specializations.

Associate in Science.

Online Bachelor of Science in Emergency Services Administration with an emphasis in Emergency Management.

Bachelor of Science in Emergency Services Administration with an emphasis in Emergency Care.

How do I enroll?

• •

Apply for admissions by going to: http://www.uvu.edu/admissions/ If you have attended another college or university, request an official transcript be sent to: UVU Admissions Office 800 West University Parkway MS 106 Orem, Utah 84058-5999

What will it cost?

• For official UVU tuition/fee amounts go to:

http://www.uvu.edu/tuition/tuitionFees13-1428-28.pdf • Some courses have “course fees” in addition to tuition.

For more information regarding admissions and registration, call 801-863-7798 or 888-548-7816 to schedule a phone or office appointment with an Emergency Services Administration Academic Advisor.

SPRING 2014 SEMESTER (JANUARY 6 – MAY 1)

FACE TO FACE CLASSES ESFF 1000 Introduction to Emergency Services ESEC 1140 Emergency Medical Technician Basic ESEC 1160 Emergency Medical Technician Advanced ESWF 1400 Wildland Firefighting Fundamentals ESMG 310G Intro to Homeland Security GI

ONLINE CLASSES ESFF 1000 Introduction to Emergency Services ESFF 1120 FES Safety and Survival ESFO 1100 Fire Behavior and Combustion ESFO 1110 Fire Prevention ESFO 2050 Fire Protection Detection Systems ESFO 2080 Building Construct Fire Services

ESMG (Online) ESMG 310G Intro to Homeland Security GI ESMG 3150 Public Program Administration ESMG 3200 Health Safety Program Management ESMG 3250 Managing Emergency Medical Services ESMG 3300 Master Planning for Public ES ESMG 3350 Analytical Research Approaches Public ES ESMG 3600 Psychology of Emergency Services ESMG 4200 Disaster Response

40 | UFRA Straight Tip

DEGREE AT UVU ESMG (Online Continued)

RECIPE CORNER

ESMG 4550 Principals Disaster and Emergency Mgmt

Slow-cooked Barbecued Chicken

ESMG 4600 Public Admin Emergency Management

provided by Jessika Profitt from Raleigh, NC

ESMG 4400 Legal Considerations for ES ESMG 445G Human Factors Emergency Mgmt GI ESMG 4500 Customer Service/Marketing for ES

ESMG 4650 Emergency Services Capstone ESMG 481R Emergency Services Internship ESMG 489R Undergrad Research in Emergency Mgmt ESMG 491R Topics in Cardiology and Medical Trends ESMG 492R Topics in Trauma and Pharmacology ESMG 493R Topics in Medical Litigation

RECRUIT CANDIDATE ACADEMY (RCA)

By Application Only. For more information visit http://www.uvu.edu/esa/academics/rca.html or call 801-863-7700 or 888-548-7816.

PARAMEDIC

By Application Only. For more information visit http://www.uvu.edu/esa/academics/paramedic_emt.html or call 801-863-7700 or 888-548-7816.

Enroll early! Please note that courses are subject to cancellation due to low enrollment.

Makes: 6 servings Hands-on Time: 20 min.

Total Time: 5 hr., 20 min.

3 – 3 ½ lb. chicken breast 2 tsp. salt 1 ½ tsp. paprika ½ tsp. garlic powder ½ tsp. pepper ½ cup cola soft drink ⅓ cup ketchup ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar 1 lemon, sliced

1. Place chicken in a single layer in a lightly greased 6-qt. slow cooker. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle over chicken.

2. Whisk together cola soft drink and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Slowly pour mixture between chicken pieces (to avoid removing spices from chicken).

3. Place lemon slices in a single layer on top of chicken.

4. Cover and cook on HIGH 5 hours (or on LOW 6 ½ to 7 ½ hours) or until done.

5. Discard lemon slices; pull chicken apart and mix with juices; serve immediately.

Please check http://www.uvu.edu/esa/ for current and updated course listings.

January - March 2014 | 41

Nonprofit Organization U.S. POSTAGE

Nonprofit Organization U.S. POSTAGE

Utah Valley University

Utah Valley University

PAID

H VALLEY UNIVERSITY

UTAH FIRE AND RESCUE ACADEMY . MS 193

. MS 193 F I R E A N D800 RES C U E UNIVERSITY A C A D E M Y PARKWAY, WEST OREM, UT 84058-5999 T U N I V E R S I T Y P A R K W AY, O R E M , U T 8 4 0 5 8 - 5 9 9 9

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

DRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

PAID