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Richard Marinucci |
Wildland fires within the wildland urban interface (WUI) are major events that require special training, equipment, and strategies. Many urban and suburban firefighters have no chance of ever responding to these calls.
But, many will go to much smaller grass and brush fires, especially in mid to late summer when rainfall is less frequent. These calls are not especially complex, but complacency can set in and create challenges. It pays to prepare by reviewing basic concepts.
In many firefighters’ response districts, there are few large areas of grass or brush. As a result, departments give little attention to these incidents as they are perceived as more of a nuisance than a threat. In most cases, they are correct. With all the responsibilities that are part of a well-run department, there often is not time to do everything, so there is a prioritization of incidents. But, all organizations should at least briefly review their operations on these calls so that complacency does not set in.
For the most part there are two threats to firefighters when operating on WUI incidents: health-related and roadway-operation-related. You could add a risk to injury in that responders are operating on uneven surfaces and are subject to sprains and strains.
Awareness is important when minimizing risks to firefighters. There always needs to be a sense that something could go wrong in any aspect of this profession. When someone lets his guard down, there is the added potential for a mishap or worse. We must not overlook the simple things.
Roadway Response
Working on the roadway or nearby is a very risky venture for firefighters. Included in the different types of grass fires experienced by departments are small fires along interstate or limited access highways. They look innocent enough and, for the most part, the fire extinguishment aspect is. The fires are easily extinguished - and the grass comes back greener. It is the threat from traffic that must be considered. A firefighter in South Carolina was killed while operating on such an incident when a vehicle went through the site and hit the firefighter. You can get more information on this from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) report. It is a stark reminder that the risks exist, and you cannot ease up even when the fire operation is so simple.
Health-Related Injuries
Health, wellness, and fitness are also factors. Working on brush or grass fires can be hard work depending on the location and what is burning. It may take some effort to get to the fire, especially if a suburban or urban department does not have the off-road capabilities that others may have. This extra work can add stress to the cardiac system. Further adding to this is the fact that many of these events occur during weather extremes - i.e., heat and humidity. And, structural firefighting protective clothing is sometimes the only option for operations. Organizations should be cognizant of the potential for health-related problems and either establish an on-scene rehab (if the incident lasts very long) or closely monitor personnel when they return to the station. This will mean adequately hydrating and monitoring vital signs at the least. Officers and supervisors should be in the habit of making sure that the personnel are evaluated properly and monitored as needed. Again, there are NIOSH reports of firefighters suffering from stress events on calls that are not of the magnitude of the major wildland fires.
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