Area firefighters spend three days learning how to use air packs to save their lives in a smoke-filled emergency, practicing until the action is automatic.
By THERESA BLACKWELL
Published January 16, 2004
[Times photo: Scott Keeler]
Division Chief Tom May, left, an instructor from East Lake Fire Rescue, opens a door for Tarpon Springs firefighter-paramedic Mark Goodwin as he crawls into a room filled with theatrical smoke to simulate a fire. This was part of an exercise during three days of training in using emergency breathing equipment.
OLDSMAR - A few minutes of air can mean the difference between life and death for a firefighter.
This week, firefighters throughout North Pinellas reviewed that lesson in an old bank building next to Oldsmar City Hall.
With firetrucks from five agencies in the parking lot, more than 150 firefighters spent three days roaming the smoke-filled top floor of the old SouthTrust Bank.
The city bought the building in 2001 and Oldsmar firefighters were happy to have it when their turn to host the exercises came up.
"We just happen to have a building that the city owns that's available for training," said Lt.-Paramedic Dean O'Nale of Oldsmar Fire Rescue.
While on duty, 110 U.S. firefighters lost their lives in 2003, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Skill and confidence with a self-contained breathing apparatus can buy rescue time when a firefighter needs it most.
"Once they have an emergency with their air pack, they need to be 100 percent with it then," O'Nale said.
The response needs to be so honed by practice that it's automatic.
O'Nale was the onsite training team leader this week to help North Pinellas firefighters master air pack emergency procedures. Firefighters from Safety Harbor, East Lake, Oldsmar, Palm Harbor and Tarpon Springs trained in shifts Tuesday through Thursday. The departments had their masks tested, trained on procedures and then practiced upstairs in a smoke-filled obstacle course.
Thursday afternoon, about 15 firefighters from Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor and Tarpon Springs listened to O'Nale explain standard operating procedures for a firefighter who is lost or trapped.
"You are the first person who is going to be able to rescue yourself," O'Nale said.
After firefighters do what they can to help themselves, other survival techniques may be crucial.
Calm down, assess the situation and then call for help, he said. "Mayday!" is the universal word for firefighter in trouble and they also give their unit number on the radio. Then they set off a pass alarm, a loud alarm that will help rescue crews locate the firefighter. If the caller becomes unconscious, the alarm sounds automatically when it detects no motion.
"Skip" breathing can extend the time air will last significantly. The technique involves taking a deep breath, then breathing in a little more just before exhaling slowly.
After O'Nale spoke, the firefighters broke into groups and three from Tarpon Springs got into firefighting gear.
East Lake Fire Rescue Division Chief Tom May went over procedures for operating the air packs in an emergency and explained the task in the smoke-filled maze above them.
He said the maze had a tight place that required firefighters to crawl through a tunnel 2 feet by 2 feet. Once the firefighters got through, they were to practice breathing techniques, look through a thermal imaging machine to locate other firefighters and go back linked together through the maze and out.
May and the firefighters finished practicing. It was nearly time to put their skills to the smoke test.
"Do you guys want to take a break or do you want to go right upstairs?" he said.
Tarpon Springs firefighter-paramedic Bill Storms spoke up.
