It's been a quite day at the big house in your Department. You are assigned to the busy engine and were ready for one hell of a day. Today it will be quality, not quantity that gets you.The bells ring and you have been dispatched as a single engine resource to a reported man hole fire in the City Center. This area has heavy commercial, light industrial and some high occupancy buildings. You have smoke showing from the firehouse as you pull out. Convinced there is no way a 60+ foot column of smoke is your job, you are silent on the air at first.
As you arrive on the scene the wind is still, temps in the mid 60s and it is the early afternoon. Turning the corner what you see is similar to this photo.
Obviously since you are first on the scene the responders in the photo have yet to even be dispatched. Your driver is uphill and upwind, mainly because he's that good and your crew is still in their seats.What is your initial report for this incident and what resources will you request, if any? You make the call.
Comments
I would say you're going to need a decent amount of personnel because this will beat people up, you'll probably need public works/city engineer to learn more about what's down there, I assume EMS is already on scene (for responders and civvies) and air supply (not the band) abundantly on hand. Obviously if you have specialized units equipped and trained in this type of work, call them in (if they are not yet already inbound). I'm also thinking this may not be a straight "water" application based on the fuel; foam/chemical may be the way to go.
"A 68 year old man accidentally used capsaicin cream instead of hemorrhoid cream."
Sorry for the bathroom humor, resume normal blogging.
I would say you're going to need a decent amount of personnel because this will beat people up, you'll probably need public works/city engineer to learn more about what's down there, I assume EMS is already on scene (for responders and civvies) and air supply (not the band) abundantly on hand. Obviously if you have specialized units equipped and trained in this type of work, call them in (if they are not yet already inbound). I'm also thinking this may not be a straight "water" application based on the fuel; foam/chemical may be the way to go.
"A 68 year old man accidentally used capsaicin cream instead of hemorrhoid cream."
Sorry for the bathroom humor, resume normal blogging.
For all I know, it was Space Monkeys or Aliens - time for marshmallows and hot dogs.
For all I know, it was Space Monkeys or Aliens - time for marshmallows and hot dogs.
In a building fire, that smoke color tells me something is going to blow in my face... so I assume this is no sewer thing because it would get more air from other man holes and burn more freely. This seems to be confined... definitely need to know what's down there.
In a building fire, that smoke color tells me something is going to blow in my face... so I assume this is no sewer thing because it would get more air from other man holes and burn more freely. This seems to be confined... definitely need to know what's down there.
Now, how did we all do? You gonna make us wait until Monday Justin?
Now, how did we all do? You gonna make us wait until Monday Justin?