Live To See Tomorrow
"We as firefighters know all too well how suddenly a life can be ended. Yet, as we witness loss of life
we seem to accept it as something over which we have no control. While that is true to some extent,
there are actions we, individually, can take to reduce the excessive numbers of line of duty deaths
encountered each year in this country. We are not invincible. It doesn't always happen to the other
guy."
Only a few short weeks ago I submitted a commentary to this web site entitled "Hippocrates was
Right". The paragraph I've opened with was part of that commentary. It is now time for me to take
some of my own advice and attempt to… take action to reduce the numbers of line of duty deaths
encountered… Several weeks ago we nearly lost a member of my department while fighting a 2-alarm
fire. He ran out of air and had to be rescued by other members of the department. I'm sure he knows
and appreciates how lucky he is. Lucky, because he is still alive.
When I read about or witness events like this, I always end up with unanswered questions. Questions
are good. They inspire reflection. I would like to list a few questions and make a few observations in
an attempt to provoke thought. It is my hope that all who read this will contemplate what they would
do if they found themselves in a similar life-threatening situation.
How does a firefighter run out of air? Did he check his mask at the beginning of the tour of duty? We
can only assume that he did. At that time he would have determined that the cylinder was full and that
the low air alarm was in proper working order. When you are wearing a self-contained breathing
apparatus (SCBA) and the low air alarm sounds, just how long should you wait before exiting the
building? What if you become disoriented while exiting? Do you have a means to call a "mayday"?
How long should you wait before calling for help? Is your PASS device armed? Have you activated
its emergency function?
Fighting fire is very serious business. It requires skills that are learned when a person first becomes a
firefighter. It also demands that those skills be practiced over and over again until they become like
second nature. When you are disoriented with your low air alarm sounding in a hot and smoky
atmosphere is not the time to be developing a game plan. The time to plan for such an event is before
it happens. Don't wait until next week or even tomorrow. Do it now. Picture yourself becoming
disoriented in a hot, smoky environment, attempting to exit because your low air alarm has sounded.
What are your options and in what order should they be put into operation? Train as if your life
depends upon it. I use this not as a catchy cliché but in an attempt to persuade all who read this to
avoid the near fatal disaster encountered by the member of my department. I'm certain that if you
asked this firefighter he would tell you that he was not invincible. And this time it did not happen to
the other guy. Remember that SAFETY is no accident.