Comments on: UPDATED with new details. Must see video from Baltimore close call. Firefighters caught as fireball comes out front and rear of rowhouse. Five hurt in smoke explosion event.

By: hose-man

hose-man — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:29:50 +0000

Found new location of video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO3zQXx4gIo

By: kirby

kirby — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:15:37 +0000

t
Teach all members who are operating from the exterior positions that you can use the building for protection instead of standing directly in front of the “mouth” of the beast. Give the fire the respect it deserves as it never shows all its cards on arrival. First in Eng. company can pull just past the explosive direction of flying glass to save from pulling shards out of the rig and each other. Treat that outside square footage as part of the fire and as hard as it is for the IC…., stay off to the side( IC Board) and relay the information that the interior officer needs to bring his people home safely. As always, the direct and accurate radio information given to the IC will help in choice of attack. And please listen to your veteran smoke readers who are very special and can save your rear end.

By: Jim Payne

Jim Payne — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 22:30:15 +0000

Hey “Anon” you got me…. I don’t post often and you got me… Sorry to anyone who thought I was bashing Anonymous, JUST HIT A NERVE. FTM-PTB

If interested in some BCFD ACTION PICS check this guys site out go under BCFD PHOTOS http://bcfdphotoman.zenfolio.com/

By: Brooks

Brooks — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 22:09:04 +0000

@Rookie;

The goal of ventilating high is to allow the superheated (above their fire point) and oxygen-deprived gases an opportunity to exit, due to their buoyancy, the highest point. Once outside, they burn freely. You can find a few videos on the internet of such ventilation; as the gas & smoke is leaving the vent hole, it is not aflame, but as it progresses a few feet, it lights off, hopefully harmlessly above the fire building.

Conversely, if such a vent-hole wasn’t made, and someone introduced air via the front door, the gases would mix and light within the structure, with consequences depending on the amount of flammable gases, air, and the containment they’re held in.

But, as with everything in life, and especially in the fire service, “stuff” happens. Maybe the fire gases were in an area of the building that doesn’t communicate with the area ventilated by the truck. Who knows.

I know that the DCFD truck companies are fairly quick to the roof, and at most rowhouses, are pretty quick to open the roof hatch. Despite this, our engines don’t wait for the trucks to open up before entering. I doubt Baltimore is much different. The way we operate works most of the time. It works better when everybody does their job, so that the building is properly ventilated, laddered, and lines are in place.

If you can identify the fire compartment early, and ventilate it, you can ensure that the products of combustion, and steam from extinguishment, exit rapidly rather than burn your guys and any victims overcome inside. This can be done by an OV team, or by the first hose team, with their hose stream. THIS fire doesn’t look like it’s particularly easy to identify the fire compartment from the exterior, or, for that matter, the interior. In this case, you’ve got to vent early, from the top down, and hopefully if you have any sudden release of energy, it dissipates quickly through the fully-cleared windows and roof hatch, before it gets absorbed by the men working inside.

By: learning-one

learning-one — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:48:22 +0000

I don’t care what you might call it, perhaps flashback is best, my crew and I have learned several things from this valuable video and we will use this new knowledge on future scenes. You ‘bashing’ folks are wasting time and energy and are just plain insulting and showing your own foolishness. Look, learn and perhaps save your butt.

By: Boofire Captain 19

Boofire Captain 19 — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 15:55:31 +0000

FDNY Truckie,

Your comment at the end of your post was uncalled for, insulting, and inappropriate. (that goes for you too Steve) As the Father of a Special Olympian I feel hurt for my Son when ignorant comments like yours are made about them, without you even knowing them. In my 30 years in the firefighting field I have saved lives and property, but it doesn’t compare to the joy I get going to a Special Olympics event and watching the Athletes give it their all just for the chance to compete.

Try volunteering at one of these events just once. It is truely a humbling experience.

Texas Gordo you hit the nail on the head. Thank You. Some people just don’t know how lucky they are.

By: Baltimore Footage « IRONSandLADDERS.com

Baltimore Footage « IRONSandLADDERS.com — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 07:45:54 +0000

[...] Baltimore Footage This footage is flying around the internet and has been suggested to us from multiple sources. We dont know who gets credit for it because it has been seen on VentEnterSearch.com, Statter911.com, and many others. The important thing is for it to reach anyone who wants to see it. Here it is off of YouTube, the writeup below is information that was obtained by Statter911.com [...]

By: Rookie

Rookie — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 04:46:42 +0000

Lets start this with “I agree with everyone on here who says that this is a back draft.” Now with that being said I do have some questions. I’m still a rookie by all means of the term, and haven’t had a whole lot of nozzle time on working fires so my experience is strictly academic with this. I watched the video ad nauseum and did notice that throughout you can see the “breath” of the fire and at 6 seconds in you can see the final breath and then the rapid expansion of superheated gas followed by the explosion. However after reading the article I see that the first due piece ventilated from the roof and the front of the basement, shouldn’t this have provided adequate oxygen to prevent a backdraft? Anything anyone can tell me to help out please do so.

By: Texas Gordo

Texas Gordo — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:56:50 +0000

FDNY Truckie,

Your comment and joke were in poor taste.

About 15 years ago my shift was assigned the task of escorting the athletes as they carried their torch to open the Special Olympics for our city. I didn’t get why we were wasting our time doing this, and your words could have come straight from my mouth back then. I walked next to a profoundly mentally challenged and handicapped teenage boy and helper him hold the torch aloft.

My character was very underdeveloped in those days, and I spent tremendous amounts of time thinking how amazing I was. My character development still needs a lot of work, but I’ve come to realize that their are individuals who work harder, are smarter, and overcome more challenges each day than I do, and they don’t whine about it. They just get the job done.

That day I saw parents cheering for their kids in the same exact manner that I cheer for mine at their “regular” athletic events. I saw parents with profoundly physically and mentally challenged children, and I realized how very lucky I was that my chromosomes and those of my children happened to match up in the manner they did.

Maybe one day you will experience that joy that comes with sharing your life with a woman and having children. You will learn how little in this world we can actually control, and you might even realize how lucky you were in the genetic lottery.

Ever since that day I have volunteered at our city wide Special Olympics track and field meet. I encourage you to go volunteer and spend some time looking in the mirror at yourself.

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:25:49 +0000

Hookman, SHUT UP,your still a disgrace to DCFD and the entire job, now go away you fired retard.