thedrifter
04-09-09, 06:30 AM
Feeling the heat
4/8/2009 By Pfc. Daniel Boothe , Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — To avoid instant infernos that are impossible to survive, Camp Pendleton’s firefighters stay sharp.
More than 20 firemen with Camp Pendleton’s Fire and Emergency Services experienced temperatures in excess of 500 degrees in a trailer-like burn box last month. Firemen knelt only three feet below the most-feared phenomena among firefighters, flashovers.
Flashovers occur when the fire’s heat can no longer be absorbed by surrounding contents. Heat then radiates back toward the center of the room, drastically raising the temperature. At approximately 1,000 degrees, the entire room and surrounding air ignite, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. This creates an inferno firefighters commonly refer to as a flashover.
“Everything ignites once it reaches that critical point,” said Fire Capt. John P. Crook, Fire Station 1, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Fire and Emergency Services. “You have to think of everything as live fuel in these types of situations. Even smoke can ignite just like a piece of paper.”
Once flashover has occurred, survival for more than a few seconds is impossible, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Even a firefighter in full protective gear is unlikely to survive a flashover.
“Every firefighter needs this training,” said Crook. “A flashover can happen anytime, and is a situation every fireman needs to be prepared for.”
Last year, the country lost a total of 114 firefighters in the line of duty from 33 different states, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. California reported seven of these fallen firefighters.
“This training is critical and imperative,” said Crook. “It teaches firemen the elements of fire behavior and what to expect in a real life situation focusing more on fire behavior than fire attack.”
The semi-annual exercise explained clues and possible flashover evidence including tongues of fire tickling the ceiling, a rapid build up of heat.
“The training here is outstanding,” said Chad R. Elfver a firefighter with Fire Station 1 and former crash fire rescue Marine. “Working with live fire is a lot different than reading out of a book. You can actually see and feel what’s written down.”
Flashover training prepares firefighters for only one of the many techniques used to saves lives. Ventilation procedures, among other essential measures, go hand in hand with the recognition of fire behavior. Once the environment is deemed life threatening, proper ventilation techniques can pull super-heated gases from the dangerous situation, preventing flashovers.
“The quicker you pull the superheated gas out of the structure, the easier it is for us to see what we are doing, find the fire and rescue victims,” Crook said.
Camp Pendleton’s FES responds to an estimated 3,000 emergency calls every year. In addition to fire suppression, the department also responds to medical, rescue and vehicle emergencies. Base residents should call 911 or (760) 725-3333 in the event of an emergency.
“Our job is to save the lives of both victims and firefighters alike,” he added. “This training saves lives.”
Ellie
4/8/2009 By Pfc. Daniel Boothe , Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — To avoid instant infernos that are impossible to survive, Camp Pendleton’s firefighters stay sharp.
More than 20 firemen with Camp Pendleton’s Fire and Emergency Services experienced temperatures in excess of 500 degrees in a trailer-like burn box last month. Firemen knelt only three feet below the most-feared phenomena among firefighters, flashovers.
Flashovers occur when the fire’s heat can no longer be absorbed by surrounding contents. Heat then radiates back toward the center of the room, drastically raising the temperature. At approximately 1,000 degrees, the entire room and surrounding air ignite, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. This creates an inferno firefighters commonly refer to as a flashover.
“Everything ignites once it reaches that critical point,” said Fire Capt. John P. Crook, Fire Station 1, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Fire and Emergency Services. “You have to think of everything as live fuel in these types of situations. Even smoke can ignite just like a piece of paper.”
Once flashover has occurred, survival for more than a few seconds is impossible, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Even a firefighter in full protective gear is unlikely to survive a flashover.
“Every firefighter needs this training,” said Crook. “A flashover can happen anytime, and is a situation every fireman needs to be prepared for.”
Last year, the country lost a total of 114 firefighters in the line of duty from 33 different states, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. California reported seven of these fallen firefighters.
“This training is critical and imperative,” said Crook. “It teaches firemen the elements of fire behavior and what to expect in a real life situation focusing more on fire behavior than fire attack.”
The semi-annual exercise explained clues and possible flashover evidence including tongues of fire tickling the ceiling, a rapid build up of heat.
“The training here is outstanding,” said Chad R. Elfver a firefighter with Fire Station 1 and former crash fire rescue Marine. “Working with live fire is a lot different than reading out of a book. You can actually see and feel what’s written down.”
Flashover training prepares firefighters for only one of the many techniques used to saves lives. Ventilation procedures, among other essential measures, go hand in hand with the recognition of fire behavior. Once the environment is deemed life threatening, proper ventilation techniques can pull super-heated gases from the dangerous situation, preventing flashovers.
“The quicker you pull the superheated gas out of the structure, the easier it is for us to see what we are doing, find the fire and rescue victims,” Crook said.
Camp Pendleton’s FES responds to an estimated 3,000 emergency calls every year. In addition to fire suppression, the department also responds to medical, rescue and vehicle emergencies. Base residents should call 911 or (760) 725-3333 in the event of an emergency.
“Our job is to save the lives of both victims and firefighters alike,” he added. “This training saves lives.”
Ellie