Steven Harris: Fire Chaplain Report Focus on what matters. Lately, I have been out preparing my yard for the coming summer, killing weeds, planting flowers and all that comes with yard keeping. Oklahoma City FD While I was out, a couple of dogs in another yard must have seen something outside their fence. They ran up and down the fence barking and jumping, determined to get out and attack whatever was bothering them. Soon other dogs in the neighborhood joined in. As the noise escalated, I was becoming annoyed and frustrated. Can’t someone tell them dogs to shut up?! My stresses started to increase as I worked in my yard. After a short while, I heard a lawnmower start. My neighbor was mowing his lawn unaffected by the loud annoyance of what was happening. Could he not hear all this noise? Where is the quiet solitude of my back yard, I thought as I looked down at my yard. Then I noticed I needed to mow my grass as well, so that’s what I did. By the time I was finished, the dogs had settled down and I could sit and enjoy my freshly cut lawn with a glass of iced tea. My thoughts wandered. How many times do I get upset and angry about things outside of my control? I watch the news or read rants on social media and my attitude seems to slowly drop into despair. When really, I just need to take care of what’s in front of me. God gave me a field to care for. I’m not talking about grass and flowers, but people! He puts people in our lives to care for and others to lift up. As I show love and grace to them, I find myself in the rest and comfort of a freshly manicured and watered yard. I want to be less concerned about the world and more focused on what God has planned for me. My prayer is that the Lord would bless you and all those close to you with gratitude joy and love.
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28 May/June/July 2021Oklahoma Firefighter
Kelly Ransdell: NFPA Report Happy Spring! As we enter the spring, lets focus our attention on some safety for the fire service. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has launched free NFPA 1700, Guide for Structural Fire Fighting online training for firefighters to learn safer and more effective ways to handle fire incidents involving modern day materials and contents. The all-new instructional course, centered around NFPA 1700, Guide for Structural Fire Fighting, is based on extensive scientific research and testing on contemporary structures from the UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute. Today’s home fires burn faster, reach flashover quicker, collapse sooner, and result in reduced escape times largely due to synthetic contents including furniture, plastics, rugs, and composite materials versus the wood-constructed legacy furnishings of days gone by. These days, residences also tend to be constructed on smaller lots, include a second story, feature more open floor plans, and house all kinds of new technologies. These components and evolving fuel loads have prompted changes to the tactics that firefighters have used for decades; and led to the November release of NFPA 1700, the first NFPA document connecting fire dynamics research to response strategy, tactics, and best practices. The all-new instructional course is designed to help the fire service evolve the way it responds to incidents and provides evidence-based recommendations and methodologies so that first responders are operating with updated strategies. The course provides: • Guidance focused on interacting within a structure on-fire to achieve the most successful outcome based on documented fire investigations, research, and testing. • Interactive modeling of residential structural firefighting with simulated training scenarios and coaching throughout exercises. • Concepts based on NFPA 1700 principles and tactical advice for effective search, rescue, and fire suppression operations, as well as civilian and responder safety. NFPA 1700 online training puts firefighters in an immersive digital environment that replicates in-person, hands-on learning. Ideal for both new and seasoned structural firefighting personnel, the online program offers an introduction to NFPA 1700, followed by a series of interactive learning modules. Each session offers a 360-degree, full-3D virtual experience featuring realistic scenarios and requires firefighters to make observations and decisions on how to respond and fight the fire. The course covers how to enter buildings, where to apply hose streams, and when to stand down due to potential life-threatening situations; and culminates with a Capstone exam to help firefighters synthesize learning and put knowledge to the test. Upon completion, members of the fire service should be able to: • Explain why firefighting tactics are changing based on modern construction, newer on-scene technology, and evolving fuel loads. • Gain an understanding of how to assess and approach the scene of a fire based on the latest science-based fire dynamics research and testing. • Be more prepared to assess a fire’s growth and spread, and consequently utilize up-to-date control methods. The training takes into consideration fundamental occupancy, building construction, while addressing the health and safety of firefighters by reinforcing the need for personal protective equipment (PPE) and methodologies for contamination control.
