Dateline: London, July 7, 2005 -- "Around 200 firefighters were called to explosions at the Aldgate, Edgware Road and Kings Cross London Underground stations and an explosion on a bus at Tavistock Square this morning. Thirty-seven people were confirmed dead earlier this evening and around 700 casualties were involved. Twelve fire appliances with 60 firefighters attended the incident at Edgware Road, 12 fire appliances with 60 firefighters attended the incident at Kings Cross, 10 fire appliances with 50 firefighters attended the Aldgate incident and four fire appliances with 20 firefighters were called to Tavistock Square." (Information courtesy of the London Fire Brigade.)
No matter where such attacks take place worldwide, firefighters still respond and wind up in the extinguishment, rescue and recovery of victims.
You never know what the next alarm may bring. In keeping up with the world situation today, Chief Jim Smith examines the management of mass-casualty incidents. In this month's part one, Chief Smith's Fire Studies column takes a look at size-up factors. Mass-casualty incidents (MCIs) can result from manmade or natural disasters. Chief Smith defines an MCI and examines the numerous factors associated in dealing with the varied situations that we can encounter. With the difficult challenges that all emergency responders are facing today, this is a must-read column.
Talking about a changing world, you can never keep up with the art of firefighting in a high-rise building. Curtis Massey, in his "21st Century High-Rise Training Series," describes redundant power supplies and the numerous potential hazards that firefighters may face when operating in high-rise structures. He examines tenant uninterruptible power supplies that convert a stored energy source into energy. Businesses do not want to lose power to their mission-critical systems for any reason. If you respond to any type of large office building, this is information you need to know.
In a similar vein, the Chicago Fire Department is hosting an important event titled "High-Rise Life Safety Conference 2005: Transforming Policy, Leadership and Tactical Operations" Aug. 17-20. For more information, visit the event website at www.cfdconference.com.
Sixty-five U.S. firefighters died in the line of duty as of July 13. Many of these deaths were heart related. Seattle Battalion Chief Dave Jacobs writes that he dropped dead at a fire in October 2004. Only by the grace of God, quick work by Seattle firefighter/EMTs and firefighter/paramedics is he alive today to talk about it. On page 90, Jacobs describes his ordeal in a story he wrote called "I Survived." Fire service EMS saved his life.
Following the death of Lieutenant and Firehouse Contributing Editor Peter Lund, Gordon Wren Jr., a fire official from Rockland County, NY, contacted me about publishing an article written by Dr. Raymond Basri, MD, FACP. On page 82, you will find "The Key to Reducing Firefighter Deaths."
One statistic says it all. Every year, nearly half of the line-of-duty deaths of U.S. firefighters are caused by heart attacks. Dr. Basri, also an 18-year firefighter in Orange County, NY, explains that his article is intended to provide you with a better understanding of fire physicals and offer specific steps you can take to help reduce firefighter deaths due to heart attacks. Dr. Basri notes that firefighters must view themselves as athletes who work at maximum emotional and physical stress levels without the advantage of a warm-up in a game that is not win or lose, but life and death. For further insights on how this issue is affecting the fire service, please see Director Wren's letter on page 8.
A tip of the helmet to Contributing Editor Charles Werner, who was elevated to fire chief in Charlottesville, VA. Charles was instrumental years ago in teaching us about the Internet at Firehouse Expo seminars, when few of us knew of its potential. He was, and still is, way ahead of his time in his expertise about communications and technology.
