June 30 2012 – Unique training locations can be a rare event, so when a structure slated for demolition was offered to San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, they wasted little time putting together an aggressive training schedule to take full advantage of the offer. Although a working fire was contemplated, the remote location of the house and dense brush surrounding it dictated a no-burn training scenario. But it still offered numerous training opportunities.
The house, spending its last few years as a frat house, featured an eclectic mixture of room sizes, hallways and unusual construction combined with tight twists and turns on both the ground and second story. The remote location of the house also brought crews away from their normal districts, bringing home the reality of a lengthy wait time should a second alarm be needed.
While firefighters attended training for a number of days, Saturday’s drill involved three engine companies at a time, covering three rotations during the day. Training consisted of two fire attack drills, a civilian victim rescue, several firefighter rescues, radio operations and after-action reports following each exercise.
Major emphasis during the day was placed on firefighter rescue. Remembering firefighter Mark Langvardt of the Denver Fire Department, firefighters practiced moving an injured firefighter from a confined space up and out of a small window. Firefighters experienced the difficulty of moving an injured firefighter with full PPE just a few feet up and over a window sill, but worked as a team and completed each extraction, learning as they moved along, refining their techniques.
Additional experience was gained in rescue situations using a ladder as a fulcrum, a high point for a rope lift and a stretcher.
Each group of firefighters had two fire attack assignments to complete: one before the firefighter rescue drill and one after. With the large size of the house, no crew knew exactly which floor or room would be on fire until the dispatch went out and training officers informed them of what was happening. While one engine crew did fire attack and a second brought in an additional line, the third engine company was assigned roof ventilation, something an engine crew normally does not do, but was required for the drill.
Rescue of an injured civilian was also part of the training; crews were asked to locate and safely lower a manikin to the ground. Several firefighters, working to get through a wall, were able to experience unanticipated construction when they were using axes to cut through drywall and encountering sheets of plywood under the drywall.
A final surprise awaited the mid-day and afternoon crews. For the mid-day crew, as the fire was being contained, a firefighter was told he had just been pinned by a beam and was severely injured. His partner had to initiate a mayday call to facilitate a rescue, requiring firefighters to negotiate a tight hallway and stairs to get him outside. For the afternoon crew, the surprise was a firefighter who had fallen through the floor,and sustained severe injuries, including two broken legs. Rescuers had to negotiate a series of tight turns and narrow hallways to get the firefighter to safety.
