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Posted: Feb 1, 2019

Fire Truck Rollovers, Part 2

BY CHRIS DALY


In last month’s article, we discussed how to determine a vehicle’s rollover threshold. Once a vehicle’s rollover threshold is calculated, it is possible to determine at what point it will roll over.

The point at which the apparatus will roll over depends on how much lateral acceleration is placed on the vehicle. Lateral acceleration is the evil force that is constantly trying to “push” the apparatus off of the road or flip it over.

When a vehicle moves from side to side, it will experience “lateral acceleration,” commonly referred to as “g-force.” While lateral g-force sounds like a complicated term, it is actually quite simple. Not only is this concept very simple, it is a key point that every fire apparatus operator must come to understand if he plans to drive safely. Unfortunately, few emergency vehicle operation course (EVOC) programs discuss it.

The amount of g-force a vehicle will experience as it rounds a curve will depend on the speed of the vehicle and the radius of the curve (how sharp it is). If the vehicle’s speed increases, or the curve gets sharper, the lateral g-force acting on the vehicle will increase. If a vehicle experiences a lateral g-force that is greater than its rollover threshold, the vehicle will roll over. Lateral g-force is calculated using the following formula:

Formula One

REAL-LIFE G-FORCE

By using the lateral g-force formula, it is possible to determine how much lateral g-force is acting on a vehicle as it rounds a curve. As an example, consider the curve in photo 1, which has a radius of 80 feet along the middle of the inside travel lane. The amount of lateral g-force experienced by a vehicle while rounding the inside travel lane is shown in Table 1.

Table 1 demonstrates how dangerous it is to round a sharp curve or corner in a fire apparatus. As most fire apparatus have an average rollover threshold over around 0.60 (give or take, no manufacturer will give me exact measurements), the average fire apparatus will roll over while rounding this curve at just 25 to 30 miles per hour (mph). Keep in mind that at 30 mph, the fire apparatus operator will be driving the vehicle at 100 percent of its ability. In reality, most drivers “give up” and panic when the lateral g-force exceeds 0.20.

Table One

he measured radius of the inside lane of this curve is approximately 80 feet. This would be considered a “sharp” curve to most drivers. When a curve has a smaller radius (is sharper), the lateral g-force increases significantly with an increase in speed.

1 The measured radius of the inside lane of this curve is approximately 80 feet. This would be considered a “sharp” curve to most drivers. When a curve has a smaller radius (is sharper), the lateral g-force increases significantly with an increase in speed. (Photos by author.)

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Posted: Feb 1, 2019

PPE Wahrehouse on Wheels for Clean PPE

Robert Tutterow

What about the concept of a personal protective equipment (PPE) warehouse on wheels to help address the problem of putting contaminated PPE back on the apparatus?

Robert Tutterow

The use of a warehouse on wheels is not new to some fire departments. A few larger metro departments have adopted this concept for keeping their stations stocked with expendable items, such as cleaning supplies, emergency medical service supplies, toilet paper, and office supplies. A vehicle, such as a step van, is stocked with these supplies and makes a regular—typically weekly—visit to each station to replenish their supplies.

This application has merit for a PPE warehouse on wheels. The premise is that contaminated PPE should not be carried in the cab of the apparatus or in a personal vehicle in the case of volunteer firefighters. One of the typical responses to establishing a standard operating procedure stating that contaminated PPE should not be placed in an apparatus cab is that the crews must remain out of service until they return to the station to have their PPE cleaned or access their second set of PPE. Or, the department does not offer a second set of PPE for its firefighters.

THE CONCEPT

The PPE warehouse on wheels addresses this concern. A dedicated vehicle, or maybe a trailer, is stocked with loaner gear and dispatched to a working fire. Firefighters can bag their contaminated PPE and immediately be provided with loaner gear while still on the scene. This concept could be adopted on a county or regional basis for smaller fire departments. It could work well for turnout coats, turnout pants, hoods, gloves, and helmet replacement inserts. Footwear could be a little more problematic, as sizing is more crucial. However, cleaning footwear while on the scene is more easily accomplished than with fabric PPE such as coats, pants, and hoods. Helmet shells can also be decontaminated a bit easier.

As mentioned, sizing for footwear creates a need for a modification of a loaner gear program. This might also be a concern for sizing of the other elements. Most sizes for coats and trousers are listed in specific inch measurements. For loaner gear, this could be softened to having men’s and women’s sizing on small, medium, large, x-large, xx-large, etc. After all, PPE as currently addressed in National Fire Protection Association 1971, Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting, is outerwear.

The above described sizing issue has been further explored by some who advocate that PPE should not be assigned directly to an individual firefighter. In effect, all PPE would be like loaner gear. A firefighter would wear the PPE assigned to him until it needs cleaning, repair, or retirement. The firefighter would then be issued another set of PPE or a specific element of the ensemble and wear it until it needs cleaning, repair, or retirement. This idea is worthy of consideration, and if adopted, there needs to be a tight tracking system in place to monitor the location and condition of each PPE element. Another potential drawback to this idea is that firefighters might not accept that their PPE is not “permanently” assigned to them.

The PPE warehouse on wheels idea h

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Posted: Feb 1, 2019

PPE Wahrehouse on Wheels for Clean PPE

Robert Tutterow

What about the concept of a personal protective equipment (PPE) warehouse on wheels to help address the problem of putting contaminated PPE back on the apparatus?

Robert Tutterow

The use of a warehouse on wheels is not new to some fire departments. A few larger metro departments have adopted this concept for keeping their stations stocked with expendable items, such as cleaning supplies, emergency medical service supplies, toilet paper, and office supplies. A vehicle, such as a step van, is stocked with these supplies and makes a regular—typically weekly—visit to each station to replenish their supplies.

This application has merit for a PPE warehouse on wheels. The premise is that contaminated PPE should not be carried in the cab of the apparatus or in a personal vehicle in the case of volunteer firefighters. One of the typical responses to establishing a standard operating procedure stating that contaminated PPE should not be placed in an apparatus cab is that the crews must remain out of service until they return to the station to have their PPE cleaned or access their second set of PPE. Or, the department does not offer a second set of PPE for its firefighters.

THE CONCEPT

The PPE warehouse on wheels addresses this concern. A dedicated vehicle, or maybe a trailer, is stocked with loaner gear and dispatched to a working fire. Firefighters can bag their contaminated PPE and immediately be provided with loaner gear while still on the scene. This concept could be adopted on a county or regional basis for smaller fire departments. It could work well for turnout coats, turnout pants, hoods, gloves, and helmet replacement inserts. Footwear could be a little more problematic, as sizing is more crucial. However, cleaning footwear while on the scene is more easily accomplished than with fabric PPE such as coats, pants, and hoods. Helmet shells can also be decontaminated a bit easier.

As mentioned, sizing for footwear creates a need for a modification of a loaner gear program. This might also be a concern for sizing of the other elements. Most sizes for coats and trousers are listed in specific inch measurements. For loaner gear, this could be softened to having men’s and women’s sizing on small, medium, large, x-large, xx-large, etc. After all, PPE as currently addressed in National Fire Protection Association 1971, Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting, is outerwear.

The above described sizing issue has been further explored by some who advocate that PPE should not be assigned directly to an individual firefighter. In effect, all PPE would be like loaner gear. A firefighter would wear the PPE assigned to him until it needs cleaning, repair, or retirement. The firefighter would then be issued another set of PPE or a specific element of the ensemble and wear it until it needs cleaning, repair, or retirement. This idea is worthy of consideration, and if adopted, there needs to be a tight tracking system in place to monitor the location and condition of each PPE element. Another potential drawback to this idea is that firefighters might not accept that their PPE is not “permanently” assigned to them.

The PPE warehouse on wheels idea h

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Posted: Feb 1, 2019

T3 The Tready Hook: “A Ball-Buster of a Tool”

BY RAUL A. ANGULO


There are two things I love about the fire service. Well, there are many, but two of my favorites are the camaraderie that is developed across the country and firefighters who make their own tools. This story is about both.

I had to go to Texas for a wedding and decided to swing by and see the friends I made in Burleson, Texas. I was there about five years ago to write a story about a spectacular rescue they made on an 800-foot radio tower (“Stairway to Heaven,” Fire Engineering, September 2013). Firefighter Matt Moseley, one of the four rescuers at the time, is now Lieutenant Moseley; Lieutenant Jeremiah Lozier, the initial incident commander (IC) and co-author, is now Battalion Chief Lozier; and Battalion Chief Brent Batla is now Assistant Chief Batla—I love it! Anyway, I was speaking with Batla and he said, “Hey! You need to see this new tool I got for the guys. They call it the ‘Wrecking Ball’! In fact, they love this tool so much, they don’t even use the pike poles or the roof hooks anymore.” Well, being a truckie, I was intrigued; I had never heard of the Wrecking Ball. I asked if it was like a panestaker, and Batla said no. Then he dialed Station 2 on the speakerphone and said, “Watch this. Hey, Lieutenant Moseley, Chief Batla here. What would you say, engine or truck, is the favorite tool of choice for the members?” Moseley answered without hesitation, “Oh, that would be the Wrecking Ball.” I started to laugh and said, “OK, let’s drive over and take a look. I gotta see this.”

Lieutenant Matt Moseley and Firefighter Curry Parnell of the Burleson (TX) Fire Department are holding the T3 Tready Hook, AKA the “Wrecking Ball” and “Billy Baroo.” It has become the favorite go-to tool in Burleson. (Photos by author.)

1 Lieutenant Matt Moseley and Firefighter Curry Parnell of the Burleson (TX) Fire Department are holding the T3 Tready Hook, AKA the “Wrecking Ball” and “Billy Baroo.” It has become the favorite go-to tool in Burleson. (Photos by author.)

When we arrived at Station 2, Moseley and his crew had already pulled out the Wrecking Ball. Some of the guys call it “Wreckage by Ball,” and some of the B-Shifters call it the “Burleson Ball-Buster” and “Billy Baroo.” Too funny. What they were actually referring to was the T3 Tready Hook.

The T3 Tready Hook is a tubular steel shaft made of all steel materials. It has a four-inch hollow steel ball on one end and a solid ¼-inch steel plaster hook on the other. The ball and the hook are securely welded to the shaft, and the ends are designed for balance. It is a multipurpose tool that can be used for myriad firefighting tactics.

VERTICAL VENTILATION

This tool is the first tool in the fire service specifically designed for “sounding” a roof or floor in front of the firefighter, increasing the “safety zone.” By using the weight of the ball at the end of the hook, the firefighter can sound a roof or floor out in front of him with a greater

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Posted: Feb 1, 2019

T3 The Tready Hook: “A Ball-Buster of a Tool”

BY RAUL A. ANGULO


There are two things I love about the fire service. Well, there are many, but two of my favorites are the camaraderie that is developed across the country and firefighters who make their own tools. This story is about both.

I had to go to Texas for a wedding and decided to swing by and see the friends I made in Burleson, Texas. I was there about five years ago to write a story about a spectacular rescue they made on an 800-foot radio tower (“Stairway to Heaven,” Fire Engineering, September 2013). Firefighter Matt Moseley, one of the four rescuers at the time, is now Lieutenant Moseley; Lieutenant Jeremiah Lozier, the initial incident commander (IC) and co-author, is now Battalion Chief Lozier; and Battalion Chief Brent Batla is now Assistant Chief Batla—I love it! Anyway, I was speaking with Batla and he said, “Hey! You need to see this new tool I got for the guys. They call it the ‘Wrecking Ball’! In fact, they love this tool so much, they don’t even use the pike poles or the roof hooks anymore.” Well, being a truckie, I was intrigued; I had never heard of the Wrecking Ball. I asked if it was like a panestaker, and Batla said no. Then he dialed Station 2 on the speakerphone and said, “Watch this. Hey, Lieutenant Moseley, Chief Batla here. What would you say, engine or truck, is the favorite tool of choice for the members?” Moseley answered without hesitation, “Oh, that would be the Wrecking Ball.” I started to laugh and said, “OK, let’s drive over and take a look. I gotta see this.”

Lieutenant Matt Moseley and Firefighter Curry Parnell of the Burleson (TX) Fire Department are holding the T3 Tready Hook, AKA the “Wrecking Ball” and “Billy Baroo.” It has become the favorite go-to tool in Burleson. (Photos by author.)

1 Lieutenant Matt Moseley and Firefighter Curry Parnell of the Burleson (TX) Fire Department are holding the T3 Tready Hook, AKA the “Wrecking Ball” and “Billy Baroo.” It has become the favorite go-to tool in Burleson. (Photos by author.)

When we arrived at Station 2, Moseley and his crew had already pulled out the Wrecking Ball. Some of the guys call it “Wreckage by Ball,” and some of the B-Shifters call it the “Burleson Ball-Buster” and “Billy Baroo.” Too funny. What they were actually referring to was the T3 Tready Hook.

The T3 Tready Hook is a tubular steel shaft made of all steel materials. It has a four-inch hollow steel ball on one end and a solid ¼-inch steel plaster hook on the other. The ball and the hook are securely welded to the shaft, and the ends are designed for balance. It is a multipurpose tool that can be used for myriad firefighting tactics.

VERTICAL VENTILATION

This tool is the first tool in the fire service specifically designed for “sounding” a roof or floor in front of the firefighter, increasing the “safety zone.” By using the weight of the ball at the end of the hook, the firefighter can sound a roof or floor out in front of him with a greater

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