Note: Popular opinion differentiates between smoke explosion and backdraft. The difference being flaming or not flaming. An explosive percussion surge (non-flaming) is a smoke explosion). A flaming explosion is a backdraft.

BACKDRAFT
Definition: “The introduction of oxygen to a confined area that is pressurized with heated flammable gases that are deficient in oxygen that results in an explosive force of significant intensity.”

To understand the background of this definition, let’s review some basic theory. Any fire must have heat, fuel, and oxygen in order to sustain combustion. In air, oxygen is normally 21% by volume. When heat, fuel, and oxygen are present in a suitable ratio, a free burning fire will result. If we transfer a free-burning fire to a confined room with no ventilation, the growth of a fire can advance through four phases of progression which are (1) ignition phase, (2) growth phase, (3) fully developed phase, and (4) decay phase.

In the ignition phase of a fire, the oxygen content is about 21%. This beginning phase of a fire will produce some heat, smoke, and fire gases, some of which are flammable. At this stage of a fire, the temperatures in the room are slowly beginning to increase over the ambient temperature of the room.

As this process continues, the growth phase of the fire begins where the level of smoke and fire gases increase in addition to the interior temperature, and a process known as thermal layering begins when the column of smoke and fire gases from a fire rise vertically to a ceiling and begin to bank downward. However, as long as there is sufficient oxygen, the fire will continue to accelerate. If this process is allowed to continue, the temperature within the fire area will have increased to the point that combustibles within the fire area will have ignited. This can also be referred to as a free-burning stage as the fire has sufficient heat, fuel and oxygen to produce large quantities of heat and fire gases. This is the fully developed phase of a fire.

When the supply of oxygen is depleted or minimized, this process will begin to subside, and the decay phase of a fire will begin. This can also be known as the smoldering phase as the oxygen supply has been depleted (13 to 15-percent), and there will still be high temperatures and large amounts of fire gases within the fire area. At this point however, another condition has rapidly become significant. As smoke and fire gases are heated, they will expand. In fact, the volumetric expansion of gases can increase, and are capable of creating a significant pressure (up to three times more than the ambient atmospheric pressure of 14.7 psi) inside the room. This internal pressure will force smoke and fire gases from all available openings. At this stage of this process, the room is pressurized, flammable fire gases are high, and oxygen levels are low. If oxygen is suddenly introduced to this scenario, either by breaking a window or opening a door, the fire triangle (heat, fuel, and oxygen) will be completed and an explosion can be expected to occur, often with destructive force to personnel and a structure and/or room.

Trademarks: A potential backdraft is relatively easy to recognize by four distinct trademarks – - (1) unvented fires that are confined by a structure, (2) smoke that is issuing under pressure from any available openings, or, smoke that is visibly being drawn into a pressurized confined area after openings are made to the involved area, (3) doors and/or windows that are hot to the touch. Additionally, windows may appear dark (which is a result of the heavy concentration of interior smoke), and (4) in some cases where various openings are present, expect heavy, dark, turbulent smoke. The turbulence (or boiling) is normally a result of the pressurized smoke expanding as it escapes and the inability of the structure to absorb the heat.

Elimination: Once a backdraft has been identified, how can it be eliminated? A backdraft can be eliminated by vertical ventilation over the involved area. This will reduce the internal temperature (primarily from the top portion of the room which is the location of the most heat) and vertically exhaust the hot smoke and fire gases to the exterior of the structure without allowing the sudden introduction of oxygen. If horizontal ventilation is the only practical method of ventilation, ventilation personnel should ventilate windows and/or doors from the corner of the structure as this is the safest area for ventilation personnel. The success of this operation is based on the following factors – - recognition of a potential backdraft, communication between initial entry and ventilation personnel, and timing between entry and ventilation personnel that results in ventilation preceding entry into the structure. In this case, firefighters preparing to make entry should not be positioned by openings (i.e., windows, doors, etc).

In our next article, we will look at flashover.

With that brief intro, here are some thoughts about “Heat Illness” – what it is and what to do about it.  Every year as we transition from Spring to Summer I think about this issue – and this year I got to thinking about it earlier than usual because it got warmer earlier – and this “thinking” started because of my iPhone.  I see a lot of people with the neat little “holsters” for their cell phone – but I choose not to do that because of some concerns I have regarding “radiation and proximity” (this is not the focus of this piece and is another story) so I normally keep it in my briefcase and when driving I leave it on the right front seat of my car. 

So on one of our beautiful recent “warm” days, I was doing the weekly fill up of my twenty-year-old daily driver (and I have watched the price of this “fill up” go from $20 to $80 in the last decade) and locked the car and went into the store to get something to drink. There was quite a line in the store because the “twenty-something” behind the counter was having some difficulty making change (and that is another story). And while I was standing in line, I was trying to figure out a more efficient way for this young kid to do his job. Anyhow, I spent way too much time in that store. When I got back to my car and opened the door and buckled up and then checked my iPhone for messages (prior to moving), I saw this warning on my screen with a big yellow triangle with an explanation point inside of it and the words “iPhone needs to cool down before you can use it”. 

I had not seen that warning before so I took off the rear protective cover and held the device directly in the path of the “conditioned air” coming out of the vent – and in about two minutes I hit the button again and all was well and good.  So why am I wasting your time with this less than fascinating tale of my time at a gas station? 

Your body has a lot in common with your cell phone!  If you mistreat your cell phone, it will not work right and might “die” on you.  If you mistreat your body, it will not work right and might “die” on you.  I am not being rude here, but all too often I see people taking better care of their “stuff” than they take care of their body!  Please take care of your body – and a big concern I have during warm and hot and hotter weather is “heat illness”.

Heat-related illnesses occur when the body’s temperature control system is overloaded.  Everyone – particularly people who work outdoors – needs to be aware of this “risk” and how to prevent heat-related illness, and to be able to recognize and treat this “risk” should it arise.

Heat stroke (we used to call it “sunstroke”) is the most serious heat-related illness. This occurs when the body becomes unable to control its temperature.  Sometimes this is caused by some major problems inside the body, but most “heat stroke” is generated by external sources – particularly ambient temperature.  If your body’s temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails and your body is unable to cool down. Body temperature may rise to 106 degrees Fahrenheit (F) or higher within 10 to 15 minutes – which was about the same amount that it took my iPhone to stop functioning. Heat stroke can cause death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not provided.

Not to digress, but earlier in the piece I mentioned my “daily driver” is twenty years-old.  As such – it does not have a lot of the new technology that other cars have – and the cooling system is “old school”.  Occasionally, I take the car to the desert and the last trip to El Centro last July put the thermometer in the 120 degree range.   I watched the temp gauge moving up and up and up and approaching the “red” zone – so I turned the A/C off and it leveled out for a while.  And then the needle started to rise again – so I pulled an old trick my Dad taught me – turn on the heat inside the car.  Turning on the heater “dumps” the cooler water stored in that unit into the “cooling” system – thus reducing the water temperature in the engine – temporarily at least.  But back to “your” body.

Since you do not have a “temperature” gauge – you must look for signs that the body is getting too hot.  Warning signs of heat stroke vary, but include the following:

- An extremely high body temperature (above 103 degrees F)
- Red, hot and dry skin (no sweating)
- Rapid, strong pulse
- Throbbing headache
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Confusion
- Unconsciousness

So if you see someone who has any or all of the above – start thinking about “heat stroke”.  Get the person to a shady area, cool rapidly, spray with cool water from a garden hose or splash with cool water and fan vigorously.   You should monitor body temperature and continue your cooling efforts until the person’s body temperature drops to 101 to 102 degrees F.  A person with heat stroke is likely to be unconscious or unresponsive, so he or she cannot safely consume any liquids – and particularly no “alcoholic” beverages.  And of course, call for a paramedic right away.

Bottom Line:  Heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency – and you know that my focus in life is on the “management of risk” – so what do you need to do to prevent this “illness” from occurring.

- Drink more fluids, but try to avoid those with caffeine.
- When temperatures are extreme try to stay in the shade.
- Protect yourself from the sun with a wide-brimmed hat, light-colored, loose-fitting       clothing and use a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher.
- Never leave pets, people or phones in a parked vehicle.

OK – on the last one I don’t really care if my iPhone dies.  When it comes to pets and people – this is an identifiable risk and a manageable risk.  Remember that you are the best “risk manager” you have – so be aware and work smartly.  

That is all for now.

Gordon Graham
President, Lexipol

The oral interview is designed to evaluate the personal qualities and qualifications that are essential for the job, together with other intangible traits that cannot be satisfactorily gauged by the other components of the testing process. The end result of the promotional oral interview process is to establish a list indicating the best qualified candidate, as measured against his/her competitors.

There are three basic keys to know in order to be successful in the oral interview process.

• Know yourself.
• Know the job you are seeking.
• Understand the concepts of the oral interview.

These three keys are really described by one word… PREPARATION!

We are often asked the question; “When should I start preparing for the interview process?” Your preparation should actually begin years before you walk into the oral interview room. You need to build your resume through education and experience.

Your experience, education and special qualifications, and how you present them, have a tremendous impact on your interview score. The interview board is especially interested in your involvement with special assignments, department projects and committee work. Just as important is the level of education in terms of college courses and degrees, Fire Officer and Chief Officer certifications and any other certified training that specifically applies to the promotion you’re seeking. The most qualified candidates will usually have all these achievements checked off.

Most promotional candidates spend 90% of their study effort on the written examination and 10% of their preparation on the oral interview. This really doesn’t make sense, when both portions of the exam process may have equal weight. As you study supervision concepts, leadership principles and your Department’s S.O.P.’s, imagine yourself as the interviewer and create your own interview questions. The act of going through this process will instill these principles and concepts much better than rote memorization. You can practice the answers by audio taping yourself or by outlining your answers on 3 x 5 cards. You can play the tape back while driving, or review the cards in your spare time, even while standing in line at the post office. Everyone will just think you’re talking on your cell phone anyway!

Taking practice orals is extremely helpful. Video taping your practice interview and honestly reviewing your performance will enhance the learning process and allow you to sharpen up your presentation to be as effective as possible.

The oral interview process contains four components. They are:

• Opening statement.
• Background assessment.
• Job knowledge.
• Closing.

Along with the application, resume and cover letter, the opening statement is the first impression the oral board is going to have of you. It is obvious the opening statement is important. The following are typical introduction questions.

• Tell us about yourself.
• Why are you seeking this position?

Did you notice that these are pretty easy questions, and that the only person in the room who knows the “answer” is you? These questions usually come first simply to allow you to get into the flow of the interview process and to hopefully set you at ease. Take advantage of this opportunity. You know these answers!

So now you’re “relaxed”, right?

In next month’s article, we’ll focus on the two remaining steps of the oral interview process – job knowledge and closing.

Next to me at the pump was an older man who was using a gauge to measure the air pressure in his tires. It was hot and as he stooped over to unscrew the cap off each valve, the sweat from his forehead dropped to the pavement. I was tired just watching him and it got me to think about the things in life we religiously check and the things we don’t.

I spend some of my time selling life insurance, but I spend more time checking life insurance that is already in force. When I think about the deliberation of the man checking tires to economize on gasoline and minimize tread wear, the inconsistency occurred to me regarding how we often fail to check the one thing that we can’t do anything about if something ultimately goes wrong due to our lack of attention: the adequacy and order of our life insurance program.

We don’t like to think about providing for the possibility of our premature demise, so when we do put coverage in place, we tend afterward to give it as little thought as possible. But because our needs and our circumstances change, our coverage must be reviewed as much as any other “reviewable” thing in our life, e.g. our health, the progress of our kids in school, the performance of investments in our retirement plan, the condition of the roof on our house, the cost of our cell phone plan and, yes, the air in our tires.

If you have coverage, the person who sold it to you is amiss if he or she hasn’t insisted on periodic review of the policy. Consider what it might reveal:

1. Too much or too little coverage – An examination of changes in your life status can quickly determine if you have enough coverage to address all the needs left behind or created by your passing. It may also indicate you are buying more protection than you need.
2. An unnecessarily high-priced model – Carriers differ with regard to what they charge to protect your life. Even though you are a little older, you may not have the most cost-effective policy available.
3. Follow the money – Have the people that you want to benefit changed since the policy was purchased? Divorces, remarriages, additions to the family and other new obligations may make existing beneficiary designations in the policy undesirable. Sometimes a policy owner has simply designated that his or her “estate” be the named beneficiary. This often creates more cost and problems than it resolves.
4. Check mate – A review is a good time, too, for determining if others in the household need coverage. Often, protection is purchased on the bread-winner without thinking about the cost of the services of a non-working spouse that must be replaced in the event of death. Or some coverage on children can eliminate the economic concerns that should not be a part of all the emotional distress that is sure to attend the unfortunate loss of a daughter or son.
5. Conversion deadlines – Inexpensive term insurance often has a guaranteed option to convert to a permanent policy at the same medical underwriting class, no matter how many health problems have occurred in the meantime. However, the right to convert always expires at a certain date. This should be checked.
6. Good business! – Policies owned for business reasons should be checked as well. In fact, many undesirable tax consequences can result from poorly structured business life insurance plans that aren’t normally a concern in personal situations.

The good news is that reviews are easy. A worthy advisor will take your situation and your policies in hand and order inforce ledgers to determine the future effectiveness of your coverage. He or she will determine what your needs are now and going forward, and will determine if there is better or less expensive coverage available. If it has been 3-4 years since you have checked, then consider initiating a policy review. And remember to check the air in your tires as well.

Chris

•  Every structural fire presents a different set of conditions and challenges
• Building construction is constantly changing, and so is the amount of available fireground time as the size of structural members is systematically being reduced
• The contents of residential and commercial buildings burn significantly different than a few years  ago due to the predominance of synthetic materials
• Every building that is subjected to fire is under demolition until the fire is extinguished
• Modern personal protective equipment (PPE) is far superior to the PPE of yesterday, yet has the ability to mask the interior conditions of a fireground environment

 Unfortunately, the preceding factors collectively combine to hamper the American fire service with 20,000 injuries and over 100 deaths per year. These figures are more than significant when statistics indicate fireground injuries and deaths are increasing – not decreasing! Consider the following: if the number of structure fires is slowly decreasing (and they are), but the number of fireground deaths and injuries remain about the same each year, then in reality, fireground deaths and injuries are increasing. How could this be when modern firefighters are subjected to superior training programs, and high tech equipment? Additionally, NFPA statistics indicate that 70% of structure fires occur in single family dwellings (SFD’s), and 70% of those fires are confined to one or two rooms. From a simplistic perspective, the answer is the routine SFD fire, as well as other types of structure fires, have dramatically changed.

As delineated in the Reading a Building chapter, building construction now repetitively uses lightweight materials due to the increasing scarcity of wood. This has directly contributed to rapid collapse of lightweight structural members when they are exposed to fire. However, there is an additional factor that has also contributed to the increasing number of firefighter deaths and injuries – smoke! As smoke has also dramatically changed over the past several decades, let’s begin this chapter by considering the various characteristics of smoke and the importance of why it should be evaluated at every structure fire.

SMOKE CHARACTERISTICS
One of the more popular and relevant national training programs is titled “The Art of Reading Smoke,” and for good reason. In the past 40 years, smoke has dramatically changed from two basic viewpoints.

First, and from a simplistic perspective, smoke is nothing more than by-products from a fire. Therefore, as the what is burning has changed, the composition of smoke is also changed, and as a result, we also change how smoke burns from two basic viewpoints – the degree of heat and combustibility of smoke. This is best illustrated by considering the basic elements of smoke. Fundamentally, smoke is a mixture of two basic elements: unburned solid particulates and fire gases.

Unburned particulates will primarily be comprised of the material or materials that are burning, and carbon. These particulates are capable of burning if their ignition temperature is sufficient.

Fire gases are a combination of a multitude of various gases that are released by the material or materials that are burning, and are also capable of burning if their ignition temperature is sufficient. However, fire gases can be much more complicated than particulates as burning materials are capable of yielding a wide range of fire gases.

Common examples of some of the fire gases that are released during the combustion process are:

• Carbon monoxide
• Sulfur dioxide
• Hydrogen fluoride
• Hydrogen chloride
• Hydrogen cyanide
• Aldehydes
• Benzene
• Acrolein
• Sulfur dioxide
• And the list goes on…………

All firefighters should be aware that all of the aforementioned fire gases can be detrimental or fatal to any human. However, if the average firefighter was asked to choose the most common and deadly fire gas, carbon monoxide would likely be chosen most often. Although carbon monoxide is well known for its ability to be present in smoke and cause death by asphyxiation if inhaled in sufficient quantities, it is becoming apparent that hydrogen cyanide may be the most dangerous fire gas encountered by fireground personnel. It is estimated that hydrogen cyanide is over 30 times more toxic than carbon monoxide!

This fact was recently underscored in Rhode Island in 2006 when a firefighter involved at a “routine” fire in a fast-food restaurant was sent to a hospital and diagnosed with toxic levels of cyanide. Interestingly, over the next 14 hours, two additional fires in the same area were responsible for four more firefighters being hospitalized and also diagnosed with toxic levels of cyanide, in addition to one of the firefighters suffering a heart attack. These incidents have been responsible for a new look at this common product of combustion which may be present in high quantities at structure fires. Let’s take a brief look at hydrogen cyanide and its inherent risk to fireground personnel.

Hydrogen cyanide can be found in either a liquid or gas form and is a powerful poison that reduces the capacity of blood to carry oxygen. Bodily organs that are vulnerable to cyanide poisoning are the brain, heart, and central nervous system. The toxicity of hydrogen cyanide is emphasized by its use in gas chambers and as a chemical warfare agent! Unfortunately, hydrogen cyanide is found in common materials such as wool, paper, wood, and cotton. However, it is also found in elevated levels in synthetic materials such as foam, pesticides, plastics, synthetic fibers, polyurethane, fiberglass insulation, and other similar modern materials.

These materials are common in the typical residential structure fire as well as other types of structure fires, resulting in hydrogen cyanide likely being present in readily detectable amounts in smoke from smoldering fires, free-burning fires, and overhaul operations. Stated from another perspective, hydrogen cyanide is an extremely toxic gas that is released during the combustion process from any material that contains nitrogen, which is commonly found in structural occupancies! Although there are numerous other toxic gases released during the combustion process, hydrogen cyanide is a prime example why ventilation should be an initial consideration at structure fires, and a primary reason why fireground personnel should not breathe smoke. That statement applies to structure fires, automobile fires, dumpster fires, and other similar incidents. Toxic gases that are inhaled by fireground personnel give credibility to the phrase “when firefighters breathe smoke, they can die.”

Secondly, smoke that is routinely found on the modern fireground can be a willing candidate to suddenly flashover. Intriguingly, the term flashover was relatively unknown prior to the 1970’s as the term backdraft was well known and understood by most fireground personnel. However, in the 1980’s, flashover began to replace backdraft, and today, few firefighters are familiar with backdraft while most firefighters are familiar with flashover. Why? If we carefully look at the history of building construction from a simplistic viewpoint, it is easy to see why smoke has dramatically changed over the past years:

PRE-1970
Prior to the 1970’s, conventional building methods and materials were commonly employed. Additionally, the interior contents of residential and commercial buildings also primarily consisted of conventional materials such as wood, paper, wool, cotton, and so on. These materials normally burned with a gray-brown smoke (cellulose based materials) and the smoke would commonly burn around 1,500 to 1,600-degrees F. Because of the high ignition temperature of smoke from conventional materials, suppression personnel would routinely arrive at a structure fire to find pressurized levels of smoke and an environment that was oxygen deficient. These conditions often presented initial personnel with the potential of a backdraft from the sudden introduction of oxygen when entering a structure.

During this time frame, PPE was marginal, but was beginning to improve as a combined result of an aggressive focus to improve the protection of fireground personnel with the advantages of new technology. To summarize this general time frame, fires burned slower than the fires of today, and the term backdraft was familiar to most fire suppression personnel.

POST-1970
After the 1970’s and up to modern times, building construction and smoke from fires in residential and commercial buildings noticeably changed. Conventional materials have been steadily replaced by innovative products (defined as synthetic materials) that burn two to three times hotter and faster than conventional materials. Although building codes have significantly improved as compared to the pre 1970 building codes, they do not address the way modern materials burn and the resultant smoke that is released during a fire. Since the 1970’s, PPE has dramatically improved as a combined result of an aggressive focus to improve the protection of fireground personnel with the advantages of new technology. To summarize this general time frame, fires now characteristically burn faster and hotter than the fires of yesterday, and the term flashover is familiar to most fire suppression personnel.

In our next article, we will take a closer look at backdraft and flashover.

OK – you have had an entire paragraph of nothing important – so what is my point.  Here it is early on in this “Risky Rambling.”  Have you given any thought to what your life would be like if you were to lose your eyesight?  If you are like me, it is one of those things that we take for granted – of course I will always have my vision – but have you thought about the “risk” involved with your eyes and your vision and how this “vision” is so important to your life and your livelihood?

Frankly, I never worried about this issue too much and my guess is that most of you who are “reading” this piece don’t spend a lot of time worrying about your “vision” – but I had a recent “wake up” call from my eye doctor (who oddly enough was born on the exact same month, day and year as me – and oddly enough when we started talking about the exact time of birth – we were not that far apart) and she and I were talking about the “risks” involved with your eyes as you get older (and we all are) and more importantly what “control measures” we can implement to address those risks.

From an actuarial standpoint, I am in the “last third” of my life.  And if you look at these “thirds,” you spend the first third of your life growing up and getting your education and skills in place so you can work hard during the second third at whatever occupation or profession you choose so that you can spend your last third enjoying the fruits or all your hard work – and since this is a firefighter related website – so that you can enjoy your pension that you have paid into for all the years in the second third of your life.

Personally, I look forward to doing all the things I talked about in paragraph one – and a bunch more with the lovely and talented Mrs. Graham.  We have been having a lot of “talks” of late regarding this “last third” and how we will enjoy our time together.  I am also acutely aware that my calculations could be off – and that I might be in the last “tenth” or possibly on the last day as I prepare this piece – but I am talking about “averages” here and hoping that I fall into that range. 

I am preparing this piece on a plane having just finished some work in Nova Scotia – and the fellow who initially invited me to make the presentation to his department had a massive heart attack just days before my arrival here.  I have met him before, and if he was about fifty years of age and appeared to be in great physical shape – and boom – just like that, a massive heart attack.  I am sure that changed all his plans for the rest of his life.

Along the same lines, I am a huge fan of the “James Bond” movies and I love the role of “M” played by Ms. Judi Dench.  Recently, she learned that she is going blind – and I am sure that will change all of her plans for the remainder of her life.  If you Google “Judi Dench blindness,” you can read a pretty detailed story about her condition.

I am not a doctor (and I have not played one on TV) – and none of what I am telling you in this piece should be viewed as “medical advice,” but you need to make yourself aware of these “eye issues” to prevent problems prior to occurrence.  So at the risk of boring you – here are some of the “consequences” that are lying in wait for all of us as we get older. 

Glaucoma:  Elevated pressure inside the eyes can damage the optic nerve/s leading to permanent blindness.

Cataracts:  The clouding of the natural lens located behind the pupil resulting in blurry vision, increased glare, diminished colors and/or increased difficulty driving, especially at night.

Retinal Detachment:  The lining of your inner eye works like camera film.  When detached, it can no longer pick up images.

Diabetes Mellitus:  Elevated blood sugar levels, which if uncontrolled can lead to burst, leaky or abnormal blood vessels inside the eye, swelling of inner eye structures, vision fluctuations and ultimately blindness.

Macular Degeneration:  Leads to sight loss required for reading, driving and seeing colors.  It is the leading cause of legal blindness in people 55 or older in the United States.

So, what can be done to address these risks?  First, you need to make sure that you are making regular visits to your eye doctor – and I hope you have a good one.  The good doctors can spot so many “problems lying in wait” and not just eye problems, but general health problems that you need to be aware of by a comprehensive eye examination.

Next, remember that “you are, what you eat” – and there are some simple dietary things that you can do to prevent these problems from occurring.  Researchers now believe that nutrient deficiencies caused by diets heavy with devitalized, processed foods hasten the onset of age related eye diseases.  Certain whole foods provide invaluable nutritional support to the eyes by helping to prevent and or slow down macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. 

If circumstances prevent you from eating a health, balanced diet, consider talking a multi vitamin with lutein such as Centrum or Centrum Silver if you are over fifty.  Again, remember that I am not a doctor.  So, if you have any medical issues going on in your life – run this by your doctor first.

Regarding your diet, you can get a lot of necessary vitamins through regular foods, and Mrs. G and I are doing this and it is much easier than I thought.  Here are some ones to think about.

Vitamin A:  Your mom was right.  Eat your carrots!  If you don’t like them, try some sweet potatoes, kale, papayas, mangoes, cantaloupes, or apricots.

Vitamin C:  Kale, sweet red peppers, strawberries, oranges, and raspberries will each fill the bill.  “C” is helpful in reducing cataracts.  My doctor also reminded me that light destroys this vitamin, so purchase orange juice in opaque cartons instead of clear bottles.

Vitamin E:  Sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts and mangos are all rich with this.  According to my doctor, nuts are your best source of “E” but you can also get this in grains, dairy, fish, meats, and vegetables.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin are both important.  Spinach, kale, broccoli, collard greens, mustard greens, pumpkin, and corn all contain both of these.   My doctor is a huge fan of berries, particularly goji, acai, and blueberries.  I thought these would be difficult to find – they are not.

Omega 3 – Fatty Acids are also important.   Flaxseed, salmon, sardines, mackerel, trout, canned tuna, and walnuts provide this important element.  Two servings per week aids blood circulation to the eyes, and may help lower eye pressures by increasing fluid drainage in the eye.

You can get your required Zinc from eggs, meat, oysters, whole grain wheat, and nuts and you can get your required Selenium from Brazil nuts, oysters, yeast and dairy products.

My doctor recommended “the eye breakfast” consisting of one half cup of oatmeal missed with one heaping tablespoon of flaxseed and some berries, cinnamon and honey.  Warm it up and enjoy it – and I have.

Perhaps you have heard me say “Predictable is Preventable” over the years – and I am happy to report that my great eye doctor is using this line with all of her patients.  Thanks for your patience in reading this, and I hope that there is something in here that will give you the “wake up” call that I had recently.

Gordon Graham
President, Lexipol

Last month (February) I attended the Firehouse World Conference and Exhibition in San Diego. This conference has been in San Diego for ten years. Presented at the conference were the most state-of-the-art, current up-to-date, interesting topics on emerging fire and emergency topics. Nationally recognized speakers from California and from around the country have showcased the latest in strategy and tactics, leadership, command and training issues. This year the tradition was continued with new topics and speakers and the addition of several EMS classes.

The keynote presentation was presented by Chief Michael Hernandez from the Reno, Nevada Fire Department. Chief Hernandez discussed the lessons learned and reinforced from the Reno Air Show crash.

There were 11 people killed at the Reno Air Show and many injuries that were serious and critical in nature when a plane crashed into the stands. Chief Hernandez mentioned that, unlike other years in their pre-planning meeting, a suggestion was made that there should be police road blocks in place in case of an emergency incident because there is only one way in and out of the airport. Because of this pre-planning, they were able to transport 54 critically injured patients to the local hospitals in 62 minutes. This fact indicated how important it was to have an incident-pre-plan in place. This quick response and transport was a critical component in saving several lives.

This month, I decided it would be a good idea to review basic incident-pre-planning techniques. Pre-incident-planning must be a collaborative effort between all divisions of a fire department and as in the case of the Reno air crash, involve other agencies when appropriate.

In a perfect world, all structures in a given jurisdiction would be pre-planned with the information stored in a massive database.  That information would be available to emergency responders via mobile data terminals located on all apparatus.  While such systems currently exist, they are often out of the financial reach of many fire agencies – at least for the immediate future.  Therefore, most data gathered during the pre-incident management process is stored in “hardcopy” form.  For practical reasons – storage, staffing, and time constraints – fire agencies must prioritize occupancies to be pre-planned.  In so doing, consideration should be given to the following:

• Type of occupancy
• Type of incident expected
• Life hazards – civilian and firefighter
• Nature of activities conducted at the occupancy
• Exposure to surrounding areas
• Complexity of firefighting operations
• Resources required

Structures such as high-rise buildings, hotels, malls, large industrial buildings, and multistory and multi -building apartment complexes should be given high priority.  Such occupancies are often referred to as target hazards indicating that a greater than average life hazard or complexity of firefighting operations can be expected.

Stay Safe

VIVI BENE–LIVE WELL
RIDI SPESSO–LAUGH OFTEN
E AMA MOLTO–LOVE MUCH

ONLY CUT AS DEEP AS NECESSARY
Unless otherwise necessary, ventilation cuts should be cut through roof decking only. Cuts deeper than roof decking increase the possibility of cutting through structural members.

COORDINATE INTERIOR ATTACK OPERATIONS WITH STRIP VENTILATION OPERATIONS
To be successful, strip operations also require the ceiling under (or as close as possible) the strip opening being removed to allow access for a hose line to be developed into the attic to extinguish the attic fire. This operation takes coordination and communication between roof and interior personnel!

PATH OF EGRESS
Always know how to safely exit a roof. A primary consideration is to use the same area to exit a roof that was used to walk onto a roof.

OPERATIONS
When the preceding strategies and tactics have been thoroughly evaluated, strip ventilation operations can be completed as follows:

WOOD ROOFS
Against The Construction
Strip ventilation openings that are cut against the construction will require additional cuts and time to complete as compared to strip ventilation openings that are cut with the construction. To cut against the construction:

• Make two parallel cuts about 3-feet apart across the rafters and section of roof to be ventilated. Depending on staffing and equipment, these cuts may be made singularly or simultaneously.
• Make cuts between the rafters, resulting in small sections that are easily hinged or louvered. These panels may be left in place or removed.
  This operation will result in an approximately 3-foot wide strip across the roof, and numerous cut sections of decking that are nailed to a single rafter and are easily hinged-louvered-removed to open the cut decking.

With The Construction (center rafter)
Strip operations that are cut with the construction can be completed as follows:

• Make two parallel cuts on either side of a rafter. These cuts should be near the outside rafters.
• Make cross-cuts between the parallel cuts about every 4 to 6-feet. This enhances removing plywood and/or multiple layers of roofing material.
• Remove the cut panels of decking.
  This operation will result in a single large cut section of decking being divided into 4 to 6-foot panels that are nailed to a single rafter, and are easily removed or hinged-louvered.

With The Construction (between the rafters)

• Make a single cut between and next to one of two rafters.
• Make a parallel cut similar to the preceding cut and next to an opposing rafter.
  This operation will result in the cut section of decking falling into the building/attic. Although this method drops material into a building/attic, a strip is quickly completed (particularly when time is a primary concern) without personnel needing to manually remove cut sections of decking material. If an attic is not encountered, ensure there are no personnel working below this operation.

METAL DECK ROOFS
Although the methods necessary to strip ventilate metal deck roofs are similar to wood roofs, initiating a strip ventilation operation in a metal deck roof is enhanced by utilizing a two-step process that consists of removing the insulation-composition covering, and then removing the metal decking from the bar-joists. This is due to the fact that metal cutting blades are not effective in cutting through the insulation-composition covering.

As an example, a strip ventilation opening that is cut against the construction can be accomplished as follows:

• Utilizing a chain saw, or rotary saw with a wood cutting blade, make two parallel cuts about 3-feet apart. It is only necessary to cut through the layers
  of composition and insulation. Let the teeth ride on top of the metal corrugations.
• Make cross cuts every 4-feet between the parallel cut. This ensures that the cut sections of composition-insulation are easily removed.
• If the metal decking under the cut sections is cold, strike the sections to be removed with an axe or similar tool. This will loosen the tar-adhesive bond between the metal corrugations and layers of composition-insulation, facilitating removal. If the metal decking is warm, the cut sections should be easily removed.
• Remove the cut sections and place on the roof away from the fire.
• Two parallel cuts are now made through the metal decking with a rotary saw and metal cutting blade similar to cutting the insulation-composition layers.
• Cross cuts are then made between the metal bar-joists. This process ensures that each of the metal sections are attached to a single bar-joist only, and are easily louvered and removed with minimal effort.
• Although this process is easily accomplished, it is a time and metal-blade consuming operation. The cuts necessary to produce a 40-foot strip can easily consume 3 metal blades!

Each of the strip ventilation methods that have been considered have their advantages and disadvantages. Utilization of a particular method will depend on the type of incident and roof, staffing, individual preference, and your ability that has been developed by a combination of training and experience.

I know that someone reading this will find the above paragraph offensive in some way – so I apologize for that in advance.  It would be nice to have the time to take a long cruise someplace, but like everything else in my life, before I did so, I would do a full risk assessment.

Last year (and I think I bored you with this already), Mrs. G. wanted to go to France. And for a number of reasons, I don’t want to fly in French airspace.  More on that later in this piece.  So, we decided to take the Eurostar from London to Paris. It is one of those high speed trains – oh, to have those in the US would be wonderful – and it runs 186 mph over ground and through the Chunnel. 

I have been at that speed in a car – and it is rather scary – so the thought of having a multi-hundred ton train doing that raised a couple of “risks” in my head – so I made aquick risk assessment. Have they had problems in the past and if so what were the problems? What are the problems that “similarly situated” train companies have had?  The assessment told me that the Eurostar has a very good safety record.   The fact that I am writing this piece tells you that the trip was uneventful and if you are planning to take that train – good for you and have fun.

Decades ago and a long time before I was “risk” oriented, Mrs. G. and I had the opportunity for a cruise to Mexico.  We were recently married and we decided that it would be a good thing to invite our parents to come with us and the invitation was made.  It seemed like a no-brainer to me until I got a phone call from my Dad.

My Dad passed away a long time ago, but I remember the phone call clearly.  “Son, we would love to go with you, but I have a question.”  I was prepared with departure dates and itinerary and arrival dates and class of service, but his question caught me sideways.  “What is the name of the ship?”   “What is the name of the cruise line?”  I thought this was a bit odd, but Dad wanted to know.

So I gave him the name of the cruise line and the name of the ship.  I asked him what difference it made.  Dad was a Merchant Seaman for most of the middle part of his life – and my oh my did he open my eyes with respect to “maritime” operations and the risks involved in same.  The bottom line was that there are certain “cruise lines” and certain “ships” that you don’t want to get on.

Not to bore you, but in Dad’s opinion, if the ship is “flagged” in Liberia – don’t get on it!  Apparently there are some countries that will “flag” a ship for a fee – but it is a matter of paperwork and payoff and the “inspections” are not taken seriously and you don’t want to be on something that has not been fully inspected and maintained properly.

Dad also gave me a lesson on “language” on the ship.  Depending on the “ship” sometimes there are a dozen different languages spoken by the crew members.  The native language of those in charge on the bridge is oftentimes different than the native language of those working on the second level of the ship which is different than the native language of the people working on the third level of the ship which is different than the native language of the porters and stewards and cooks and those working in the engine room. 

While this is all well and good when things are running smoothly – it can be very problematic in the event of an emergency – where there is a natural tendency to default to the language with which you are most familiar and when that happens, some other people don’t understand each other and what they are saying.  Dad referred to a number of “maritime disasters” that had the “language difference” in the “causational” area of the demise of the ship, the crew and the passengers.

I am boring you, but Dad checked the registry of the ship and past history through his friends in the industry.  So, off we went. We had a delightful time.  I still enjoy looking at some of the photographs we took on that “cruise.”  A good time was had by all.

All of this brings me to the Costa Concordia.  The ship was registered in Italy – and they have some pretty stringent standards regarding the maritime industry – so no problems there.  I would get on a ship “flagged” in Italy in a heartbeat.

Now to Dad’s second question regarding the cruise lines.  Does that make a difference? Apparently it does.  Other ships owned by the same cruise line have been involved in “collisions” and other “incidents” in very close proximity to the Concordia tragedy. 

In 2010 specifically, the Costa Europa had a collision with a pier in Egypt that did a lot of damage to that ship and killed three crew members and injured some passengers.  The Costa Classica had a collision in 2010 with another ship in the Yangtze River in which several passengers were injured.  The Costa Romantica had a major engine room fire in 2009 in Uruguay.  And the Costa Atlantica had a “near miss” with a cargo ship and while I cannot confirm this as of this writing – it appears that Captain Francesco Shantelli was behind the wheel on that event. 

Regarding the cruise line itself, as I read the various stories in the news – apparently the “Coast Guard” (every nation with a contiguous sea has a variation of this service) does not have a lot of kind things to say about Carnival Cruise lines.

I don’t know how many of you reading this column keep up with the “post incident” investigations that always occur after tragedies.  I do for a bunch of reasons and although the Costa Concordia event is only a month old – we are already learning quite a bit about Carnival (the cruise line involved) and Captain “I drive my ship like a Ferrari” Shantelli. 

And, we are learning about the 26-year-old beauty queen who was not a registered passenger and who was having “dinner” with the Captain as the event developed.   We are learning about some “mass confusion” about the need for evacuation and I wonder if that is related to language differences.  I am sure there is a lot more to come in the ensuing months.

In the mean time, we have somewhere around 20 people dead in this event – a potential huge environmental problem – and a lot of other “nasty consequences” that came out of this event.  Instantly, there has been a huge reduction in demand for “cruise ship” bookings and people are starting to read the back of the tickets regarding the “limits on damages” in the event of a tragedy. 

But my guess is that the “shock” of this event will ameliorate over time and by the time summer rolls around the cruise ships will be packed again and we will have boatloads of people getting sick from some virus – and that seems pretty commonplace these days.

Back to the French airspace comment, United Airlines is kind enough to allow passengers to listen into the “radio traffic” between pilots and the tower and pilots and each other.  For those of you who have done this, some of the conversations involving Air France pilots are rather amusing – and the requirement that all pilots communicate in a common language – English – is apparently not taken seriously by the good people from Air France.  I recall one frustrated air traffic controller pleading “Is there anyone in the cockpit who speaks English?” – And that was enough for me.

Away from aviation and back to maritime operations, I am not trying to discourage you from enjoying a cruise with your loved ones.  But please do your “due diligence” up front.  Life is filled with risk.  It all gets down to managing your risks.  Know what you are signing when you buy the tickets.  Know the history of the ship and the cruise line running the ship.  Have a plan to get off long before you need to get off.  And bring a lot of hand cleaner and antiseptic wipes and use them regularly.

 That is all for now.

Gordon Graham
President, Lexipol.

Through listening and talking to speakers and attendees, it became clear to me that this is a time of many challenges for not only cities and states, but also for our country. As we face economic instability along with more and more natural disasters and extreme weather conditions, we find ourselves with many new challenges that require strong leadership in the emergency service field. Additionally, we are beginning to see the impact of the “baby-boom” generation hitting retirement age and how it is leaving gaps in areas where we need experienced leaders. What will this mean to the fire and EMS service? How will we maintain our high expectations and continue to grow, improve and move forward?

There are many possible answers to these questions, but one thing we know for certain is that big decisions are going to be required. Big risks may have to be taken. Leaders will have to think outside the box. Most of all, leaders will have to be accountable for how they respond and how they lead.

During the conference, the participants had many opportunities to listen to outstanding presentations offering a variety of points of view and from several areas of expertise. I found the lectures I listened to were thought provoking and value-added.

One of the speakers I listened to was Andrew Card. Mr. Card was Chief-of-Staff to President George W. Bush during the 9/11 World Trade Center terrorism attack. On that dreadful day, President Bush was in Florida at an elementary school function. When the first plane hit the South Tower, Mr. Card was the one who walked into the classroom to inform the President of the incident. After the second plane hit the North Tower Mr. Card again had to be the one to update the President. This time he told the President, “A second plane hit the North tower and America is under attack.” If you recall the President just nodded his head and stayed in the room for another 20 minutes. Some wondered why the President didn’t immediately leave the room and take command. Mr. Card explained that staying in the room was the right thing to do for several reasons. First, the President didn’t want to scare the children who were present. And, secondly, the President knew that the necessary notifications were being made. By the time the President left the classroom the FBI, CIA, Defense Department, FAA, DOT, and all the other alphabet soup departments were notified and were taking action.

There were approximately 700 people listening to Mr. Card and during this phase of his presentation you could hear a pin drop.

In summary, the TEEX Symposium provided the participants with opportunities to gain new insights, hear important and relevant information, reacquaint with old friends, make new ones, and refill your leadership engine. If you have the opportunity to attend next year you should.

Paul Stein