January
29, 2014
On
January
27th we
responded
to a
report
of the
Olive
Garden
on fire
at
approximately
0240
hours. Upon
arrival
we found
light
smoke
showing,
it
appeared
to be
grey in
color at
this
time.
The
smoke
was not
under
any
pressure
and just
appeared
to
be lifting
in the
air.
E30
parked
on the
south
side of
the
building
and
caught
the
hydrant
right
there,
L30
parked
in the
rear of
the
structure.
As I
got out
of the
truck I
told Eng
Hines "
I really
don't
know
what to
expect
but
start
working
on
the back
door".
FF Baker
grabbed
the
irons
and two
6' eck
hooks, I
grabbed
a 10 and
12 foot
pike
pole.
As I
walked
past E30
I
noticed
the side
door but
thought
to my
self the
front
door may
lead us
into a
straighter
shot to
the
kitchen
area as
I was
concerned
about
all of
the
tables
and
chairs in
the side
dining
area.
Once
I
reached
the
front
door I
realized
I forgot
the 200'
search
rope and
called
Eng
Hines to
bring it
to me.
Meanwhile FF
Baker
broke
the
front door
glass
and
unlocked
the
adjacent
door, we
wedged
those
open
with our
irons
and
opened
the
other
set of
doors on
the
other
side of
the
foyer
and
wedged
those
open.
Inside
there
was grey
smoke
down to
the
floor, I
was
unable
to see
more
than 1-2
feet.
Once the
rope was
attached
to the
column
out
front FF
Baker
stated
he had a
good
idea
where
the
kitchen
was, him
and I
went in
as I
carried
the rope
bag. We
ran into
a bunch
of
tables
and
chairs
in front
of the
bar
area,
found
the
narrow
bar
entrance
(which
was just
a walk
through),
made a
left and
ran into
a dead
end. We
went to
the
other
end of
the bar
and found
a narrow
swinging
door
that led
into the
kitchen
and made
a left
hand
turn.
All this
time I
am
checking
overhead
with the
TIC and
have
seen
nothing
but
white
outlines
of the
ceiling
tiles.
Also,
all this
time
there is
no
heat. I
remember
about
this
time
command
asking
if we
have
found
anything
and I
replied
not
yet. We
pulled a
ceiling
tile but
had a
difficult
time due
to the
length
of the
pike
poles,
FF Baker
tells me
he is
going
out to
the
front
door to
get the
6' eck
hook and
I carry
the bag
of rope
down the
kitchen
hall to
where it
elbows
to the
right.
It was
there
that the
TIC
shows
red heat
above
the
ceiling
tiles,
about
this
time FF
Baker is
back and
I told
him not
to pull
any
tiles
until we
get the
hose
line
closer.
About
this
time I
called
command
and told
him
about
the fire
overhead
and that
I could
hear the
crew
working
with
saws on
the back
door and
to get
another
2 1/2"
line in
place at
the back
door,
that it
would be
in the
right
location.
I put
the rope
bag on
the
counter
and told
FF Baker
to put
his hand
on the
bag, and
that I
was
going to
check on
the hose
line and
if he
needed
to back
up to
grab the
rope and
do so,
that I
would be
around
the
swinging
door
(about
20 ft
away) checking
on the
hose
line.
Lt Davis
sounded
as if
they
were
getting
closer,
so I
went
back in
with FF
Baker
and we
pulled
some of
the
ceiling
tiles.
We found
heavy
fire
overhead.
At this
point I
remember
feeling
anxious
about
getting
the line
in
place.
I had FF
Baker
come
back
down the
kitchen
hall
while I
went out
to where
Lt Davis
was. I
got a
hold of
him and
directed
him back
to where
we were,
made the
left
into the
kitchen
about
6-8 feet
I would
guess.
FF Baker
and I
pulled
the rest
of the
cieling
tiles in
front of
the
hoseline
to find
plenty
of
fire.
It was
at this
time
fire
comm
asked if
L30
portable
1:
situation
under
control.
I was
perfectly
comfortable
with our
situation
as we
pulled
ceilings
and only
began to
feel a
little
heat at
head
level.
I told
fire
comm:
situation
under
control.
Then fire
comm
asked
the same
to
portable
2, FF
Baker
was
right
next to
me
pulling
ceiling,
I asked
him if
he was
OK and
he
replied
he was.
In
the kitchen
it was
me
and FF
Calixte at
the
nozzle
on the
floor
and Lt
Davis
and FF
Baker
just
behind
us
backing
the hose
line
up. FF
Calixted
opened
the
nozzle
and the
fire
darkened
down and
the heat
went
from
head
high to
knee
high in
a matter
of
seconds.
We
weren't
flowing
water
more
than 20
seconds
I
would guess
when
command
calls us
out. We
all hear
the
call. I
instruct
FF
Calixte
to put
the
nozzle
down so
we could
back
out. Lt
Davis
and FF
Baker
followed
the hose
line
through
the
swinging
door. I
second
guessed
my
decision
to leave
the
nozzle
but
quickly
rationalized
it would
have
taken
forever
to get
it out
and that
we just
needed
to get
out. As
I turned
around
to back
out I
felt so
confident
that the
exit was
right
where I
was
walking....due
to the
multiple
trips to
the bar
area to
check on
the
hoseline.
I was
wrong! I
took for
granted
my
comfort
and did
not get
a hold
of the
hoseline
and
follow
it out.
I walked
and FF
Calixte
followed
either
into the
other
end of
the
kitchen OR
come to
find out
later
there
was
another
small
hallway
in the
kitchen
(kind of
across
from the
swinging
door).
I
quickly
became
disoriented
and
realized
this was
not
the way
out. By
this
time the
fire had
a chance
to begin
burning
again to
make it
visible.
I turned
around
to find
nothing
but what
felt
like 360
degrees
of fire
around
me along
with
fire
falling
and I
remember
seeing
the
skeleton
frame of
the drop
ceiling
(the
entire
time FF
Calixte
was
holding
onto my
tank
just as
I should
have
done
with the
hoseline). I
could
not help
but
think
that I
once
again
was
going in
the
right
direction
but the
fire had
gotten
behind
us and
thinking
to
myself
this
can't be
happening.
Then I
rationalized
and knew
in my
heart
that the
fire was
not over
the bar
area and
that
there
must be
a way
out.
From
the time
I went
the
wrong
way to
my turn
around
to see
the fire
was
probably
only
20 seconds
but felt
as if it
were 2
minutes.
I
immediately
grabbed
my mic,
keyed it
up and
heard
the
beeps,
held my
thumb on
it and
called
"L30
mayday,
mayday,
King
where
are you
guys I'm
off the
line and
lost,
mayday".
I would
have put
my house
on that
fact the
transmission
went
through.
Meanwhile
i'm
searching
for a
hose
line and
the
swinging
door
hollering
as loud
as I can
for King
and
Arley....I
hear
nothing.
I
continue
to call
after I
make
another
attempt
to call
a mayday
on the
radio
with no
luck. I
hear
their
voices
after a
few
calls and
they
hear
ours, we
continue
to
holler
back and
forth
until we
meet at
the
swinging
door.
They
were
waiting
for us
at the
bar.....under
most
circumstances
this is
a great
place to
meet,
this was
not any
different!
Due to
the
narrow
kitchen
and
narrow
door
ways
they had
to
retreat
prior to
us. FF
Calixted
and I
were led
out by
Lt Davis
and FF
Baker.
It
can
happen
to
anyone. The
walls in
these
houses
and
buildings
don't
move
physically but
they
sure do
seem
like
they do
when you
lose
your
sense of
direction.
I
guess
the
thing I
want
everyone
to take
away
from
this is:
*
when
leaving
the
building:
don't
assume
the
other
guys are
right
behind
you! Lt
Davis
and FF
Baker
were
waiting
for us
at the
bar and
their
doing so
probably
saved
our
lives
* don't
take
your
comfort
level
for
granted
*
never
leave
the hose
line
*
don't
forget
about
the
orange
emergency
button....burning
your
hand by
taking
your
glove
off to
push it
beats
the
alternative
*
always
take a
search
rope
into a
commercial
structure....and
keep it
on you!
It is
too easy
to get
off of
the hose
line(I
did not
attach
it to me
due to
my back
and
forth of
checking
on the
hose
line and
leaving
it with
my FF)
*
listen
to your
instincts
*
call for
help
before
you
really
need it
and
NEVER be
ashamed
to do so
*
train
with
your
companies!
We have
trained
in the
past on
RIT and
FF
survival
techniques.
It may
make you
calm in
a bad
situation
*
it ALWAYS
takes
more
people
to move
a 2 1/2"
line
into the
building
*
don't
forget
the
basics