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Video: Minor Oops Driving Through Smoke, Fire Engine Clips Mailbox

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Here is a short clip. Simply a reminder to pay attention to your surroundings. This could happen to any of us. Luckily it was just a mailbox!

 

Close Call: Amazing Video of Russian Firefighter Rescued From High Rise Fire by Aerial at Last Possible Moment

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I do not have much information on this video, nor do I know when it occurred. I believe it occurred in Russia. However, I was on the edge of my seat as this firefighter was rescued at the last possible moment as he hung outside the 4th or 5th floor of this high rise and fire burned around him. Just before he is rescued by the aerial you can see his gear on fire. Seconds later, the window he was hanging from is fully engulfed in fire. The end of the video says 2006, so it could be pretty old but still worth a look. I apologize if you all have seen it already. I have seen a couple videos…but not this one so I thought it was worthy of sharing.

This is definitely a CLOSE CALL!

The translation of the title is Fire in Kvartire. I couldn’t find anymore information, nor do I know where that is.

The video is apparently available for training purposes. The translation of the description on youtube is:

A series of films for training to prepare personnel of fire protection.

Audio: Tulsa Firefighter James P. O’Neal Brought Back To Life After MAYDAY at House Fire

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A similar occurrence happened to a firefighter in my department. He went down in a fire, was revived on scene, in the ambulance, and again at the hospital. He is back on duty and works at my station on another shift. We are happy to have gotten him back.

The exact details to what happened to this Tulsa Firefighter haven’t been disclosed. Read below and then listen to the audio.

NewsOn6.com:

TULSA, Oklahoma -

A Tulsa firefighter was brought back to life following a house fire Saturday night. The fire was deliberately set, according to an update by the Tulsa Fire Department.

James P. O’Neal, 35, is a 14-year TFD veteran. He is recovering from his injuries on Sunday.

O’Neal was responding to a house fire in the 4900 block of North Elwood Avenue at about 7:30 p.m. He was assigned to fire attack on a home that was showing heavy smoke and flames.

http://www.newson6.com/global/story.asp?S=16425316

Chicago Fire Department – Everyone Goes Home – Watch and Share

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This video is from the Chicago Fire Department and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. It provides insight to some of what Chicago’s firefighters have been through dealing with Line of Duty Deaths (LODD’s), close calls, continuing to learn, and adjusting to change.

Check out FireCritic.com on Facebook

I challenge you to watch this entire video. Then share the video with your Brother and Sister Firefighters.

  • YOU HAVE TO LEARN.
  • You have to train.
  • You have to be ready.
  • Wear your seatbelts.
  • Understand what you are doing and why you are doing it.

Some of the topics include seatbelt usage, situational awareness, health and wellness, calling a MAYDAY, PPE, and much more.

If you think you got some good reason for not wearing this or for not doing things the right way write it down. Because I need to read that to your widow. Cause I’m not going to know what to say. You say it for me. – Chicago Chief of Training Peter VanDorpe

If this video doesn’t make you sit and think about your job and how you do it, you just don’t get it.

Sincere thanks to CFD Commissioner Bob Hoff, the Chicago Fire Department, Chicago IAFF Local 2, and the entire crew at the NFFF especially Rob Maloney, director of this video, for a spectacular job.

Raw Video: FDNY Rescue 2 Firefighter Rescued from Brownstone in Crown Heights on Fire. 4 Others Injured

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Below is the amazing video of an FDNY Firefighter from Rescue 2 bailing out of a window onto an aerial ladder. The firefighter is in flames as he gets out of the building and another firefighter helps put out the flames. Check out STATter911.com for more details on this fire. In total, 5 firefighters were injured in this fire with some experiencing severe burns.

I will also be adding updates of this incident on The Fire Critic Facebook page

Captain Willie Wines Jr. sits at the table and talks shop with the firefighters of FDNY Rescue 2

Captain Wines, Zach Green, and I also recently visited Rescue 2 and other FDNY firehouses. You can view images here.

I do not know if any of the men we met during our trip were injured in this fire and it really doesn’t matter. I do hope our injured brothers heal quickly so they can get back on the rig to fight the next fire.

Update from The Secret List:

FDNY Firefighters rescued one of their own earlier, pulling him “on fire” from a Brooklyn brownstone. As members searched the Crown Heights dwelling for victims, the top floor of the 3 story dwelling on Prospect Place apparently flashed, trapping at least one Rescue 2 Firefighter inside. An aerial ladder was raised to the third floor window and another Firefighter at the top of the ladder helped get him out. The FF was burning and the FF on the ladder hit him on his back to knock down the fire.


Here is a video with some more information and a clearer look at the fire

Close Call Video: House Fire in Ventura County

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Watch at :15 for when a firefighter walks right under the front porch and wires begin arching just above him. That is a “Close Call” if you ask me!

Description: December 16, 2011 (/GPTV) — The Ventura County Fire Department responded to calls around 10:20 p.m. Friday night of a vehicle on fire on a driveway of a home in the 2400 block of Cedarwood Circle in Simi Valley. Upon arrival, the vehicle fire had extended into the garage and home. It took firefighters about 20 minutes to knockdown the blaze. No word yet on the cause.

Close Call Video: Two Lowell Firefighters Rescued at Church Fire After Mayday

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Two Lowell, Massachusetts firefighters had to be rescued by other firefighters when they began running out of air in the basement of a church fire. The firefighters outside quickly removed a window grate and removed both firefighters.

The fire occured at the Ste. Marie’s Church, part of Holy Family Parish and firefighters were trying to keep the fire from spreading to the basement.

“They were running low on air and they couldn’t find their way out,” Lemire said.

Firefighters from Engine 6, designated as a rapid-intervention team, rushed into the building, located their colleagues and pulled them out to safety. One engine at all fires is designated as RIT, and has no job at the fire except to be prepared if other firefighters get in trouble.

Lemire said neither firefighter was injured. From the Lowell Sun

The firefighters were treated at the scene. Video is below.

Links:

Close Call Video: Why We Wear Full Turnout Gear on Car Fires

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Los Angeles Firefighter has close call with explosion at car fire caught on video.

This is why we wear full PPE even on car fires.

I don’t think anything else needs to be said.

Helmet Cam: Firefighter Close Call with Acetylene tank at Building Fire

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Several things caught my eye in this video. Early on in the video, an acetylene tank off gases due to the fire just as firefighters open the door to the building. The firefighters quickly back up and regroup.

This acetylene tank raises the biggest question though. If indeed it only off gased due to the heat and did not rupture, shouldn’t they have trained a hoseline on it to keep it cool. It is obvious that they don’t have enough water for the fire, they could at least keep the tank from rupturing if it hadn’t already.

The Grove Fire Department in Oklahoma battled this fire with other mutual aid departments.

Let’s be clear, these guys didn’t have a chance with the 1 3/4″ line they had in their hand. Our department would have hit this with 2 1/2″ lines and aerial deck guns, although the outcome might have been similar if we showed up with the same amount of fire. The building had fire end to end, it just needed some more oxygen. That being said, we have a municipal water system with hydrants everywhere…they might not. They might have been working off of tank water and water shuttles. It is hard to tell.

I would have picked a solid tip nozzle.

One thing is for sure, they should have opened that door sooner to get to work. After they do, they would have had a better futile effort by keeping the water stream trained on the interior of the structure.

It was a goner, that is for sure. As always, it is hard to determine the capabilities of the fire department and their resources just by one video.

Keep in mind that these questions are for thought provoking conversation.

What we can do is sit back and watch the video and think about how we might have done things in our department. How our resources, manpower, water capabilities, and other contributing factors might have played out if this fire was in our area. That is what these videos are great for.

Close Call Video: Vehicle’s Airbag Explodes as Firefighters Try to get the Hood Open During July 4th House Fire

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Moscow, Idaho firefighters work hard to get a handle on this house fire. The fire apparently started in the garage and spread to the house. At least one vehicle burned as well. As firefighters try to get under the hood to silence the horn, the passenger side airbag explodes.

Close call? I think so. I think the firefighters do to as they quickly step back and rethink their attack on the never-ending horn.

The close call happens at 4:45 into the video.

We have all probably been there…I was thinking they should cut it off as the video was playing.

The fire occurred yesterday on July 4th around noon in Moscow, Idaho.

Close Call: Air Ambulance Clips Electrical Lines on Take Off

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Here is a close call out of British Columbia involving an Air Ambulance that is on scene to pick up a patient. At 2:18 the helicopter takes off and clips power lines. Luckily no one was hurt.

Raw Video: Helmet Cam Footage of Mayday in Bedford, Virginia

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Check out this raw video from Bedford, Virginia. The firefighter with the helmet camera slips down the attic fold down stairs and continues down the basement stairs to the basement floor.

He was then found and assisted out of the house.

The fire occurred on February 10th. The helmet camera video was uploaded yesterday. Below the helmet camera footage is some news video from the fire when it occurred.

BedfordFD.com offers this:

Bedford Communications alerted Companies 7 (Huddleston-1st due), 8 (Moneta-2nd due), and 1 (Bedford-RIT) to 2548 Bethesda Drive for a report of smoke coming from the eves of a private dwelling. Ladder 1 (with six) responded to fill the RIT assignment but once on scene quickly went to work as the Search Group and Vent Group because of a lack of manpower. Division 1 located and extinguished fire in the walls on the first floor and requested that command assign an attic division to check for extension above.

Must See Video: Firefighter Hit by Falling Wall During Defensive Operations at a House Fire

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I just saw this on FirefighterCloseCalls.com and thought it was worth some more exposure.

A Firefighter is decked out in his PPE and even has an airpack on, however he is too close to the structure as they continue to wet down the fire. As the firefighter puts water on the fire, a wall breaks away and swings outward striking the firefighter. Even though the firefighter was just barely hit by the wall, this is still a close call….and could have been worse.

There is no need to be this close to an unsupported wall when all you are doing is saving the foundation. Next time, move the picnic table around, grab a ham sandwich and hit the fire from a safe distance!

image is a screenshot from the video

Top Ten Firefighter Loose Hose Line Accident and Training Videos

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For some firefighters, the loose fire hose drill is a right of passage. I must admit that it was not part of my curriculum as a vollie or career guy….luckily. I know what to do…shut down the supply! If need be, I will get all wet but I am not planning on training on this any time soon. Tell you what, we will make the next rookie we get at the station do it!

Here is the Top Ten Youtube Videos of Loose Hose Lines!

Whether it is actual training or on the actual fire scene, these firefighters had their hands full!

Click on the image for the 10 Best…or Worst Firefighter Loose Hose Line Accident and Training Videos!

(more…)

Close Call: Mayday in Evanston, IL With Audio

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Suntimes.com:

An Evanston firefighter remained hospitalized Saturday night after crews battled a Christmas morning fire that ravaged two homes and three garages in the northern suburb.

Two other firefighters were also injured in the blaze on the 1800 block of Laurel that broke out at 5:07 a.m.

Evanston Fire Battalion Chief Don Kunita said emergency crews arrived at the scene three minutes later and found a fire that was “getting big rapidly.’’

Toward the end of the battle against the fire, a “Mayday” was called when one firefighter had trouble breathing.

“He obviously needed help. We got him out of there,’’ Kunita said. The firefighter, a 25-year veteran of the department, was taken to Evanston Hospital, where he was in good condition Saturday night.

Close Call: Mayday in Lancaster County. Captain Falls Through Floor.

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December 24, 2010:

FireTruckBlog.com (info and photos source) has a decent write-up with pictures.

Suddenly the captain in front dropped into the basement through a large hole in the floor. He was suspended by his shoulders on electrical wires, the only thing that prevented him from dropping fully into the basement. His partner was directly behind him and instantly transmitted a MAYDAY to Command.

The handline crew on the other side of the wall was now able to see just his head above floor level.

Close Call: Pendleton Firefighter is Engulfed in Flames After Venting the Attic

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Watch this video as a firefighter is engulfed in flames (:35 second mark) as he opens up an opening on side A of the house. Fire quickly blows out of the opening and as the firefighter is able to back away and grab a hoseline to begin attacking the fire.

Would you say this is backdraft? Smoke Explosion? Flashover? I am no expert, but I am sure one of you might be able to correctly identify the event.

There is no word on firefighter injuries and the firefighter continue working right after the incident. Just think what the consequences might have been if he wasn’t wearing the proper PPE.

E.J. Harris Staff photo by E.J. Harris A Pendleton firefighter prepares to attack a fire as the flames burst through the roof of the residence at 22 S.E. 9th Drive on Wednesday evening in Pendleton.

EastOregonian.com:

Angry orange flames ripped through a 100-year-old house at 22 S.E. 9th Drive on a brutally cold Wednesday evening, gutting the attic and leaving Travis Walker and Tyler Hall homeless.

The roommates rented the house from Bill Fenton, who said he has owned it for the past 19 years.

The fire started after the pair built a fire in their wood stove and left to go to D & B Supply. When they got back at a little past 5:30 p.m., smoke was filling their living room and the fire alarm was going off. (Read More)

Close Call: Chenoa Fire Engine Flips Over on Way to Call. One Firefighter Injured

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Chenoa Fire Protection District, Illinois

Firefighter Don Nagel was injured on the way to a fire caused by a natural gas line break.

Pantagraph.com:

…Chenoa firefighter Don Nagel, 47, was taken to OSF Saint James Hospital in Pontiac, after a Chenoa fire engine crashed on the way to the scene around 4:55 a.m., Illinois State Police said.

The engine was negotiating a “left sharp curve in a wet two-laned roadway” when its 1,000 gallons of water shifted abruptly, police said in a statement. The engine overturned on its left side and ended up in a ditch.

Nagel was treated and released, the hospital said later Monday.

Close Call: House Collapses and Firefighters Nearly hit by falling ladder and porch roof in this short house fire video

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I admit that the quality of this video isn’t the best, but what it captures is some scary moments for firefighters.

The clip is short and worth watching as firefighters battle a house fire the roof and 1/2 story upstairs collapses along with the porch roof. Firefighters scramble to get out of the way of a ground ladder which was set on the house. The porch roof lands right where firefighters had been standing and as they scramble, the move into the path of the falling ladder. It does not appear as though anyone was hurt.