I know this is a couple of weeks late, but I wanted to make sure this was right before I sent it out. As many of you are aware, cancer in the fire service will afflict 1 in 3 during their career. The recent study from NIOSH is alarming as mesothelioma (a particle lung-based cancer) did not show up on previous studies, but was found in this cohort to be twice as high. In laymen’s terms, your chance of developing this type of cancer is double the average population and is almost always fatal. The fire service for too long has not recognized the danger of overhaul as the origin and cause of most of our cancer. By not assigning fresh personnel to overhaul duties and by maintaining the ownership of the fire (first in, last to leave mentality), firefighters cannot effectively overhaul in the appropriate PPE. Late in 2008 and 2009 we attempted to utilize 5 gas meters to clear the atmosphere to allow firefighters to remove their SCBA’s during overhaul. This issue is now NIOSH has found a correlation between products of combustion not only in a gas form (think VOC’s) but also particle form (think black boogies). Therefore our previous logic of using gas meters to clear structures for overhaul is flawed and dangerous.
Your health and safety is my number one priority as your Division Chief of Fire Operations, regardless of what division you are currently assigned to. The second priority is not to change our tactics and strategy at structure fires as I truly believe we are one of the best aggressive interior firefighting departments in the country. So how do we accomplish both? W4.
• Three classifications of W signals currently exist for structure fires: W1, W2 and W3.
• The W4 signal is not a tactical signal but a health and safety one, and can be given prior to or after the signal 77.
• The W4 will become a benchmark in the Incident Command SOG and noted by FRCC (needed-yes or no).
• Both the IC and the Health & Safety Officer can call a W4.
• If certain thresholds are met, the W4 will be called automatically by the IC.
o These include:
? Primary units exceeding one bottle of air.
? Primary units exceeding 40 minutes of strenuous activity prior to a signal 77 given.
? All 2nd alarms or greater.
• In order for the new W4 policy to work, a shift in the role and responsibilities of the Incident Safety Officer (NFPA) and Health & Safety Officer must occur.
o For all structure fires, a Rescue Chief will be dispatched to structure fires and will assume the Health & Safety Officer position for all W3s or greater. Similar to NIMS, this is a mandated position therefore the Rescue Chief cannot be canceled if Command is established regardless of the W signal.
o The second arriving Suppression Chief can fulfill the Incident Safety Officer role (NFPA). However, the IC has the prerogative to assign the second arriving Suppression Chief to another role (Interior, Operations, Hazmat Group, etc.)
o It will be the primary responsibility of the Health & Safety Officer to determine the need for a W4 (this is the health & safety function). The Health & Safety Officer’s decision to call the W4 signal is final and cannot be overridden.
• Once a W4 signal has been given, the following minimum will respond: one additional engine, ladder, rescue, Rehab 37, and Air 5.
o Once called, the Health & Safety Officer will manage the W4 group with the exception of the additional companies for overhaul.
o Additional units can be requested by the IC if needed.
o A staging area must be determined for Rehab and will consist of Rehab 37, Air 5 and the additional rescue.
o The additional engine and ladder will be assigned to overhaul duties.
o Mandatory SCBA and PPE usage during overhaul, no exceptions.
o A way to gross decon gear on scene (port-a-flex shower is on Rehab 37)
? Tag & bag, if necessary, and have fresh gear delivered to the station.
? Will have a logistical way for you to call and for us to deliver clean loaner gear until yours is washed.
o Handy wipes and other means to quickly remove products of combustion from your skin while at rehab.
• Other SOGs will be changed to include the following:
o Safety Officer SOG
o Incident Command SOG
o Communications SOG
o Signal 25 SOG
o Overhaul SOG
Please know the final SOG has not been written pending comments back from the Chiefs and you. Any suggestions or comments are greatly encouraged. Please do not wait on a SOG to begin following the ideas and suggestions for W4… it’s never too late to begin protecting yourself.
Respectfully,
Kurtis R. Wilson
Chief of Operations