STATter911 has a great post about a public education event by the DC Fire & EMS that took a dangerous turn for the worse (link). When doing an educational event like this one, it is imperative that we ensure proper procedure and that we don’t come out of it looking like clowns. After all, this is a perfect opportunity to show off our skills and build our customers positive view of us. Many firefighters who have commented on STATter911 have pointed to coincidences between this evolution and that of a live fire training public education event by “Hillendale Firefighters”. I believe that I have included this video below the videoof the one in DC that STATter911 reported on. I could not find much more information on it, but I have viewed the video before.
Either way, hopefully we have learned from both of these mistakes. Both of which should not have happened in the first place. Simply put, we don’t need to advance that far in to put these fires out! Why you might ask? Look at the results! Need I say more…
Ok, I can’t help myself. I hope for a speedy recovery for those injured in this event. I also hope that firefighters learn from these mistakes and that we don’t see this kind of incident in the future. It appears that many are enjoying throwing their anonymous jabs around on STATter911. I am sure that DCFD firefighters know what they are doing and are capable. I don’t think that many of the comments are true testament of who they are or what they do. The fact of the matter is that this could have happened anywhere. It shouldn’t happen anymore now that we have video evidence of what can happen when we don’t take everything into consideration!
The DCFD incident:
The Hillendale Live Fire incident:
I will add that there are similarities in the two events. However, these guys below should have immediately been put back through elementary firefighting classes. This should never have happened in the first place. I don’t have a clue in the world what the hell these guys were thinking crawling into that little shack o’ fire!
Holy CRAP! Unbelievable!! This is a prime example of why so many injuries and deaths are caused during training. The first vid…well they should have had a better safety person and I most surely hope they fixed whatever was keeping them from understanding English or doing something when looking straight at someone in flames…that one had rookie all over it…
But that second video…all that was was a demonstration in maco-beauhunks and their testosterone. It is a basic rule that you anchor the fire and don’t ever let it get behind you…yet these macho guys who were seemingly about showing the crowd just how studly they are walk straight in and get 360 degree coverage. I hope the cheif rode them up and down for that. It was so difficult to watch.
I really try not to fault people for mistakes. We all make more than our share and hopefully you were trying your best at the time and learn from them so you don’t have a repeat. But that? That wasn’t an accident. No…that was just sheer macho stupidity.
I truly hope no one was injured, especially seriously, although it appeared his mask was melted clean off when he came out, and anyone that was recovered completely and quickly. However I seriously have my doubts that they should continue their career in the fire service before the seriously hurt or get someone killed!
Holy CRAP! Unbelievable!! This is a prime example of why so many injuries and deaths are caused during training. The first vid…well they should have had a better safety person and I most surely hope they fixed whatever was keeping them from understanding English or doing something when looking straight at someone in flames…that one had rookie all over it…
But that second video…all that was was a demonstration in maco-beauhunks and their testosterone. It is a basic rule that you anchor the fire and don’t ever let it get behind you…yet these macho guys who were seemingly about showing the crowd just how studly they are walk straight in and get 360 degree coverage. I hope the cheif rode them up and down for that. It was so difficult to watch.
I really try not to fault people for mistakes. We all make more than our share and hopefully you were trying your best at the time and learn from them so you don’t have a repeat. But that? That wasn’t an accident. No…that was just sheer macho stupidity.
I truly hope no one was injured, especially seriously, although it appeared his mask was melted clean off when he came out, and anyone that was recovered completely and quickly. However I seriously have my doubts that they should continue their career in the fire service before the seriously hurt or get someone killed!
I saw the Hillendale video in a class put on by Chief Goldfeder. And as I recall, the firefighters were not macho, or testosterone riddled. They were new, inexperienced, and unaware that they shouldn’t do what they did. It was a failing of their command staff to keep them from doing something that shouldn’t be.
This is the problem w/ the viewing of these videos online w/o any back story or facts. People make their own assumptions as to what is going on based on a few seconds of video.
I saw the Hillendale video in a class put on by Chief Goldfeder. And as I recall, the firefighters were not macho, or testosterone riddled. They were new, inexperienced, and unaware that they shouldn’t do what they did. It was a failing of their command staff to keep them from doing something that shouldn’t be.
This is the problem w/ the viewing of these videos online w/o any back story or facts. People make their own assumptions as to what is going on based on a few seconds of video.