Safety Safety Safety
Section 1 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5
Who is responsible? EVERYONE!
Fire Entrapment
This is a situation on the fireline when current fire behaviour prevents at least one firefighter from escaping an oncoming fire and from using a designated escape route and a safe zone. Once entrapment occurs the life of at least one firefighter is in imminent danger and a fatality may be the end result.
Avoidance
Remember Kenny Roger’s song, “THE GAMBLER”
“...You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run. ...”
“folding” is knowing when to cease operations on a particular portion of the fireline, or on the whole fire, and pull back to designated safe zones.
A “tactical withdraw” (you are “walking away) is leaving the fireline without the need to declare an emergency and with no panic involved. A quick, calm and orderly withdraw.
An “evacuation” on the other hand is a scenario that is in the realm of an emergency (you may be running for your life) which could very quickly lead to an entrapment situation. It is the goal of this course to enable the firefighter to learn and know the difference and plan ahead so that only “tactical withdraws” are required.
Think ahead
Anticipate
"If In Doubt
Back Out!"
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