Vertical ventilation as much as any fire ground operation is a team effort yet the training and discussion seems to center on the cuts. Coffin cuts, the 7-9-8, hand tool use and the Milwaukee method, all great stuff but what about the other guy up there with you? Always a bridesmaid never the bride, or the point man in a critical operation and art that is dying in today’s fire service? I believe the sounding man is the latter, and in my company the senior man gets the hook, not the saw, and you are about to hear why.
Most vertical ventilation operations in my district are handled by a team of two, the sounding firefighter and the cut firefighter. We can provide staffing excuses and we can argue the safety factors or we can play the hand that is dealt and train to proficiency. I believe that in most cases any more than two firefighters involved in the task will slow operations. If we are afforded more personnel we typically put them in a position to observe fire conditions, the operation and personnel involved, not engage them in the tactic. The exceptions to this statement are larger commercial operations, complex roofs or times when the entire truck company is required.
Definitions-
- Primary ladder- The first ladder off the rig and appropriate length to reach the immediate area of the anticipated vent hole location. 24’ or 28’ carried by sounding FF. 30’ or greater carried by sounding FF, cut FF and additional members as needed. (the 45’ extension may be the primary ladder in some cases and requires our full company to deploy)
- Secondary ladder – Second ladder off the rig. In most cases this is the roof ladder carried by the cut firefighter however it may be a second 24 or 28 carried by the cut firefighter to a location that will provide a secondary means of egress.
- Sounding Firefighter – More experienced firefighter carrying primary ladder, sounding tool of adequate length for roof work and thermal imager if available. First on the roof, provides top side size up, sounds to the cut location and entire work area. Sounding firefighter determines rafter direction if possible and directs the cut firefighter where to initiate operations. Moves to back up during cut operations and louvers as needed. Sounds to the egress ladder upon completion of operations.
- Cut firefighter – Junior firefighter (tool using direction follower) carries the secondary ladder if possible or assists with primary ladder, saw, secondary cutting tool (flat head axe). Must be comfortable with saw operations and have a rehearsed and communicated cut order. Fit to accomplish a hand tool cut if needed.
Rather than try to explain the entire operation I will have the firefighters of San Bernardino City Fire Department demonstrate. Sounding firefighter serves as the point man for the operation, the cut firefighter follows direction and the Officer remains objective monitoring operations and fire conditions. Upon completion of duties the company regroups and leaves via the egress ladder. Why not the ladder the came up you ask? The primary ladder gets you to the operation the fastest and therefore once you open up it is now an exposure, a shift in wind and you may find the company piled up in a corner 3 storys off the ground unable to see. The egress ladder is a safer way off the roof and leaving via the egress ladder drives home its importance of its placement and reinforces best practices
That video ended up becoming both and operational guide and a model for training in my company. When we typically go out and “train” on vertical ventilation we either cut or throw ladders essentially just rehearsing lines in a play. We are also leaving out the lead actor, the sounding firefighter. Once again I think that a video will do a better job explaining than I can in a blog post. I hope that this short training video will change your thoughts, not only on the importance of the sounding firefighter but also reinforce the need to train in totality (FROM THE CAB TO THE CUT). If we do not practice the entire play then all we have is fragmented lines from the supporting cast.
Incident photos from www.5280fire.com
Thanks for the great video and thoughts. I got the guys out this morning to rehearse this very thing after reading yesterday’s post. Our scenario was a little different in that if it was a roof that was easily accessed by ground ladders, then the apparatus operator would solo a 24/28 and set the roof ladder next to. He would then return to the truck and get the stick up as a second more stable means of egress. This allowed the sounding man and sawyer the time to get tools and mask up and well as size up prior to task. This evolution was based on a 4 man truck with an easy 1-2 story residential. The officer hung back with radio and New York hook like in the video. We ride 3 if manpower is at minimum so the the sounding guy then ends up being the officer as he still has a better big picture mentality than the sawyer. I am an Engineer on my department and I have started driving to calls with bunker coat/pants and my first move upon arrival now is sling a pack and grab helmet. That way once I get the aerial in place I am ready to go in case my guys get jammed up an require assistance or rescue. Most our drivers/engineers operate in blues as more of a utility position but this site and others caused me to re-think what I was doing. Thanks for the hard work and know that there are guys who appreciate this stuff and your love for the fire service. G.
Hey Garrett- I think your comment, especially the part about the driver “gearing up”, really says a lot about the great bunch of guys and gals that are out there riding the rig and doing the job! There are a group of folks that are fed up with the complacency and mediocrity that seems to have become the new baseline for this job, and they are doing something about it! Awesome! Keep training and stay safe out there!