This book establishes a proper firefighting mindset and promotes maintaining preparedness for the extreme physical and mental demands of firefighting operations in high-rise and standpipe-equipped buildings. Armed with firefighting weapons that would be much more appropriate at a car fire, far too many fire departments are on a collision course with disaster and tragedy, should they encounter a serious high-rise fire. District Chief McGrail draws from his 25 years of experience, along with lessons learned from many other fire service professionals, to provide a foundation for success and safety during high-rise and standpipe operations. The words "Everyone Comes Home" are just words. The actions necessary to ensure that everyone does come home are based on a lifelong commitment to excellence and the consistent application of good fireground habits. This book is a compilation of those good habits and the many lessons learned by a man who is truly passionate about firefighting and firefighter safety and survival.
Among the many valuable topics covered in this book are:
- Standpipe system pressure regulating devices, pressure restricting devices and pressure reducing valves
- Cautious and disciplined elevator use during high-rise operations
- Elevator rescue operations
- Proper engine company suppression selection, including techniques to operate more powerful firefighting weapons with limited manpower
- Air support operations during high-rise emergencies, with or without an internal resource
Contents:
- The firefighting mind-set
- The high-rise building
- Low-rise and other standpipe-equipped buildings
- The standpipe system
- The problem defined
- Elevator operations
- 7 stairway operations
- Hoseline selection
- Nozzle selection
- The standpipe equipment kit
- Engine company operations
- Water supply
- Truck company operations
- Search and rescue operations
- Air movement and ventilation
- Rapid intervention team (RIT) operations
- Command and control
- Air support operations
- Communications
- Preparing for battle
