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Posted: Jan 1, 2019

TICs and Water Rescue

Manfred Kihn

I’ve been asked many times during my training exercises if a thermal imaging camera (TIC) can be used for water rescues. The answer is, sure, but there are limitations. You must know when and when not to use the TIC, but having it with you in your toolbox means you are prepared if the situation calls for a TIC.

Carl Nix

First, let’s understand that there is no TIC on the market that can see into water. Second, the person or object you are searching for must be floating on the surface, meaning your TIC will not help you when fishing or recovering a body. Third, and probably the most important, not all TICs will float. Having said that, it might be best to fill a bucket of water or a sink at the fire station to see if your TIC floats. The last thing you want to do is drop it overboard from your marine unit by accident because you forgot to use the lanyard to secure it to yourself. I can see the paperwork now, “Chief, no one was more surprised than me when I heard a splash and watched the TIC disappear into deep darkness as it left behind a trail of bubbles.”

Understanding the limitations of your TIC is critical when responding to a water rescue call. (Photo courtesy of Bullard.)

1 Understanding the limitations of your TIC is critical when responding to a water rescue call. (Photo courtesy of Bullard.)

Two Experiences

I’ve had two experiences in my career with water rescues. One was working with the Coast Guard during a training exercise on the Great Lakes. The Coast Guard took one of its rescue swimmers, put him into a mustang ice and water rescue suit, and took him out in the vast wide-open water. Our exercise was to find the swimmer in a certain amount of time. I used elevation to my benefit and got up as high as I could on the Coast Guard cutter and started scanning the vast open waters. As I said at the beginning of this column, there are limitations when using a TIC that may or may not hinder your search.

Some of those limitations pertain to weather and water conditions. If it’s extremely windy, the water most likely will be choppy with white caps. In this situation, I wish you the best of luck in your search because it’s going to take a while for you to locate the swimmer. If calmer conditions prevail, then you are in luck and will have better success. In this situation, you will want to use your TIC’s field of view (FOV) and overlap your scanning process. Look sideways and up and down as far as you can, which will help you become accustomed to the water. If it’s daytime and the sun is out, you’ll see the water glistening; if it’s dark, the water will be glittering from the moonlight.

Once you have established a baseline of the water, now look for something that doesn’t belong and hopefully you will find the victim or object you are looking for. This day, I was in luck that the weather and water conditions were in my favor, and I spotted an object about 1,200 feet fro

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Posted: Jan 1, 2019

TICs and Water Rescue

Manfred Kihn

I’ve been asked many times during my training exercises if a thermal imaging camera (TIC) can be used for water rescues. The answer is, sure, but there are limitations. You must know when and when not to use the TIC, but having it with you in your toolbox means you are prepared if the situation calls for a TIC.

Carl Nix

First, let’s understand that there is no TIC on the market that can see into water. Second, the person or object you are searching for must be floating on the surface, meaning your TIC will not help you when fishing or recovering a body. Third, and probably the most important, not all TICs will float. Having said that, it might be best to fill a bucket of water or a sink at the fire station to see if your TIC floats. The last thing you want to do is drop it overboard from your marine unit by accident because you forgot to use the lanyard to secure it to yourself. I can see the paperwork now, “Chief, no one was more surprised than me when I heard a splash and watched the TIC disappear into deep darkness as it left behind a trail of bubbles.”

Understanding the limitations of your TIC is critical when responding to a water rescue call. (Photo courtesy of Bullard.)

1 Understanding the limitations of your TIC is critical when responding to a water rescue call. (Photo courtesy of Bullard.)

Two Experiences

I’ve had two experiences in my career with water rescues. One was working with the Coast Guard during a training exercise on the Great Lakes. The Coast Guard took one of its rescue swimmers, put him into a mustang ice and water rescue suit, and took him out in the vast wide-open water. Our exercise was to find the swimmer in a certain amount of time. I used elevation to my benefit and got up as high as I could on the Coast Guard cutter and started scanning the vast open waters. As I said at the beginning of this column, there are limitations when using a TIC that may or may not hinder your search.

Some of those limitations pertain to weather and water conditions. If it’s extremely windy, the water most likely will be choppy with white caps. In this situation, I wish you the best of luck in your search because it’s going to take a while for you to locate the swimmer. If calmer conditions prevail, then you are in luck and will have better success. In this situation, you will want to use your TIC’s field of view (FOV) and overlap your scanning process. Look sideways and up and down as far as you can, which will help you become accustomed to the water. If it’s daytime and the sun is out, you’ll see the water glistening; if it’s dark, the water will be glittering from the moonlight.

Once you have established a baseline of the water, now look for something that doesn’t belong and hopefully you will find the victim or object you are looking for. This day, I was in luck that the weather and water conditions were in my favor, and I spotted an object about 1,200 feet fro

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Posted: Jan 1, 2019

EMS Apparatus Stretchers and Cots

BY ALAN M. PETRILLO


Makers of ambulance stretchers, cots, and gurneys focus on both patient and user safety with their equipment as well as ease of use while offering medics the option of manual or powered stretchers and cots. There is a wide range of stretchers available to fire departments, ambulance squads, and hospital ambulances, and ease of use and patient/medic safety are paramount in the designs of each manufacturer.

Ferno offers a number of ambulance cots designed with features and stability in mind to help medics reduce strain, keep control, and maintain proper body mechanics while loading and unloading an ambulance, says Jacob Cartner, Ferno’s engineering manager. Cartner points out that each of the 50 states have their own regulations regarding safe ambulances on their roads, and Ferno sells cots and stretchers to meet all those differences. “We just launched our Power X1 model of fully powered x-frame cots,” Cartner says, “which have a new user interface on the operator’s end as well as a new battery that gives long life.”

Cartner says that the Power X1 cot’s extend and retract speed “is faster than any other powered cot on the market, and the amount of weight that the medic has to assume is much lower than any other stretcher. That means the medic is holding less weight for less time, which translates into injury prevention and less wear and tear on the personnel and the equipment.”

He adds that the Power X1 uses new technology lithium-ion batteries that last three to four times longer than those currently on the market and that the front of the batteries have charge indicators so medics always know how much battery life is available. “We developed cross-compatibility in the Power X1, so the cot will fit into multiple types of fasteners in an ambulance floor,” Cartner notes. “And because it can fit into different fasteners, in a large fleet it can be switched between trucks and still be Society of Automotive Engineers compliant.”

Cartner notes that Ferno also sells a lot of its PROFlex 35X manual x-frame cots, as well as the INX, a no-lift solution cot but one fully powered with independent legs. “The INX can use the Power X1 battery and has many of its bells and whistles, with a number of different features and options,” he says.

MOBI MEDICAL SUPPLY

Mobi Medical Supply makes a number of ambulance stretchers and cots, including the Mobi-3G Aluminum Alloy Stretcher, the Mobi Pro 650 ambulance stretcher, the Mobi Pro X-frame EMS ambulance stretcher, and the Mobi 3D2 Automatic loading stretcher. Mobi’s automatic loading ambulance stretchers have a bed surface that is made of easy-to-clean, thick, foamed cushion and provides an adjustable back and leg area, helping the patient feel comfortable during transport. One person is able to send the patient and stretcher to the ambulance or transporting vehicle. The bed piece can be separated from the ambulance stretcher through a separating device and allows for varied height positions to help in patient transfer.

The Mobi-3G’s mechanical foldaway legs are controlled by the handles on one end of the stretcher, and legs can be folded under the stretcher automatically when loading into the vehicle. Also, the stretcher can be locked by the fixing devices when in the ambulance or transporting unit. Mobi notes that the stretcher is characterized by its durable, easy, and safe usage and sterilization and is ideal for nonemergency stretcher van transport because of its multiple height settings for easy patient transfer. Its weight capacity is 350 pounds.

T

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Posted: Jan 1, 2019

EMS Apparatus Stretchers and Cots

BY ALAN M. PETRILLO


Makers of ambulance stretchers, cots, and gurneys focus on both patient and user safety with their equipment as well as ease of use while offering medics the option of manual or powered stretchers and cots. There is a wide range of stretchers available to fire departments, ambulance squads, and hospital ambulances, and ease of use and patient/medic safety are paramount in the designs of each manufacturer.

Ferno offers a number of ambulance cots designed with features and stability in mind to help medics reduce strain, keep control, and maintain proper body mechanics while loading and unloading an ambulance, says Jacob Cartner, Ferno’s engineering manager. Cartner points out that each of the 50 states have their own regulations regarding safe ambulances on their roads, and Ferno sells cots and stretchers to meet all those differences. “We just launched our Power X1 model of fully powered x-frame cots,” Cartner says, “which have a new user interface on the operator’s end as well as a new battery that gives long life.”

Cartner says that the Power X1 cot’s extend and retract speed “is faster than any other powered cot on the market, and the amount of weight that the medic has to assume is much lower than any other stretcher. That means the medic is holding less weight for less time, which translates into injury prevention and less wear and tear on the personnel and the equipment.”

He adds that the Power X1 uses new technology lithium-ion batteries that last three to four times longer than those currently on the market and that the front of the batteries have charge indicators so medics always know how much battery life is available. “We developed cross-compatibility in the Power X1, so the cot will fit into multiple types of fasteners in an ambulance floor,” Cartner notes. “And because it can fit into different fasteners, in a large fleet it can be switched between trucks and still be Society of Automotive Engineers compliant.”

Cartner notes that Ferno also sells a lot of its PROFlex 35X manual x-frame cots, as well as the INX, a no-lift solution cot but one fully powered with independent legs. “The INX can use the Power X1 battery and has many of its bells and whistles, with a number of different features and options,” he says.

MOBI MEDICAL SUPPLY

Mobi Medical Supply makes a number of ambulance stretchers and cots, including the Mobi-3G Aluminum Alloy Stretcher, the Mobi Pro 650 ambulance stretcher, the Mobi Pro X-frame EMS ambulance stretcher, and the Mobi 3D2 Automatic loading stretcher. Mobi’s automatic loading ambulance stretchers have a bed surface that is made of easy-to-clean, thick, foamed cushion and provides an adjustable back and leg area, helping the patient feel comfortable during transport. One person is able to send the patient and stretcher to the ambulance or transporting vehicle. The bed piece can be separated from the ambulance stretcher through a separating device and allows for varied height positions to help in patient transfer.

The Mobi-3G’s mechanical foldaway legs are controlled by the handles on one end of the stretcher, and legs can be folded under the stretcher automatically when loading into the vehicle. Also, the stretcher can be locked by the fixing devices when in the ambulance or transporting unit. Mobi notes that the stretcher is characterized by its durable, easy, and safe usage and sterilization and is ideal for nonemergency stretcher van transport because of its multiple height settings for easy patient transfer. Its weight capacity is 350 pounds.

T

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Posted: Jan 1, 2019

What and How We Wear PPE During Response and On Scene

Robert Tutterow

Last year, the Fire Industry Education Resource Organization (F.I.E.R.O.), in conjunction with North Carolina State University, conducted a national survey to help provide background information to enable a research study on heat strain suffered by firefighters.

Robert Tutterow

The research project will not be completed for another couple of years, but the survey provided an interesting look (probably for the first time) at what we wear when responding to and mitigating emergency incidents.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Almost 3,500 firefighters responded to the survey—if you were one, thank you. Here is a brief description of the demographics. Of the respondents, 55 percent were career firefighters, 21 percent were from combination departments, 20 percent were volunteers, and four percent were other (government, military, etc.). The ranks of the respondents were 41 percent firefighter, 32 percent company officer, 20 percent chief officer, and seven percent other (administrative, etc.). The geographic region of the participants was heavily Northeast (25 percent) and Southeast (25 percent). The North Central had 14 percent, with the Northwest, Southwest, South Central, and Midatlantic each having between five and nine percent. From that geographic distribution, 79 percent said they worked in a hot and humid environment. This was followed by 13 percent saying they worked in a hot and dry environment, and the rest saying they worked in either a temperate/humid or temperate/dry environment.

SCENE ACTIVITIES

The most common type of working fire encountered was a single-family dwelling (90 percent). One of the more interesting results of the survey was what firefighters say is the most physically demanding activity they perform. Eleven different activities were listed, and the top three of search and rescue, nozzle operator, and carrying hose up the stairs were closely grouped at the top. Not far back were vertical ventilation, backing up the nozzle operator, and providing slack to the nozzle operator. Overhaul and vehicle extrication finished ahead of horizontal ventilation, hydrant operator, and salvage.

DURING THE RESPONSE

It was no surprise to learn that most firefighters wear long pants and a short-sleeved T-shirt under their turnout gear (45 percent). This was followed by 26 percent who wore shorts and long-sleeved shirts. One question was about where personal protective equipment (PPE) is stored prior to a response. Next to the vehicle was the highest response with 37 percent, followed by in the apparatus at 29 percent, then on a rack or in a locker at 20 percent, and 12 percent keep it in their personal vehicle—probably volunteer firefighters. Eighty-two percent of the respondents said the PPE was not stored in a climate-controlled environment. (This leads to increased heat strain.) Seventy-five percent of the firefighters indicated they felt the cooling effects of the cab air-conditioning. Of this 75 percent, the impact of the cooling ranged from a little bit to very much.

The answers about what you don before getting into the apparatus were fairly consistent. Pants and boots are donned by 90 percent, coats are donned by 79 percent, and the hood (around the neck) by 78 percent. It was inter

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