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South Pierce Fire & Rescue Wildland Fire Fighter Safety

Learn about safety procedures, hazards of trees and snags, and common denominators in tragedy and near miss fires. Understand the 10 Standard Fire Orders and the importance of Lookouts, Communications, Escape Routes, Safety Zones (LCES).

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South Pierce Fire & Rescue Wildland Fire Fighter Safety

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  1. South Pierce Fire & RescueWildland Fire Fighter Safety

  2. Course Overview • Introduction • Safety • Hazards of Trees and Snags • Common Denominators on Tragedy & Near Miss Fires

  3. Course Overview, continued • The Watch Out Situations • The 10 Standard Fire Orders • LCES (Lookouts, Communications, Escape Routes, Safety Zones)

  4. Safety • Safety Definitions • Firefighter’s Requirements • Two Types of Hazards • Other Environmental hazards • Biological Hazards

  5. Safety, continued • Equipment Hazards • Vehicle Hazards • Aircraft Hazards • Fire Environment Hazards • Human Related Hazards • Staging Area/Base Camp Related Hazards

  6. Hazards of Trees and Snags • The Three Categories or Conditions of Trees • Living • Dying • Dead (Snags) • The Hazards to be aware of when working around each category of tree

  7. Hazards of Trees and Snags, cont. • Safety Procedures in Hazardous Areas • Report hazards to immediate supervisor • Flag unsafe objects and/or areas to identify • There are two options for working in unsafe areas: • Do not enter the area util it is safe. • Make the area safe to work in, provided you have received approval from your supervisor.

  8. Common Denominators on Tragedy & Near Miss Fires They are: • Most incident occurred on smaller fires or on isolated portions of a larger fire. • Most flare-ups occur in deceptively light fuels. • Most occur when fires run uphill surprisingly fast in chimneys, gullies, and on steep slopes. • Most fires were innocent in appearance before “flare-ups” or problem fire behaviors occurred.

  9. The Watch Out Situations The conditions or situations that we must be aware of and recognize are called the Watch Out Situations. They serve as warning signs that immediate action must be taken.

  10. The Watch Out Situations, cont. They are: 1. The fire has not been scouted and sized-up. 2. You are in country you have not seen in daylight. 3. Your safety zones and escape routes have not been identified. 4. You are unfamiliar with weather and local factors influencing fire behavior.

  11. The Watch Out Situations, cont. They are: 5. You are uninformed on strategy, tactics, or hazards. 6. Your instructions and assignments are not clear. 7. There is no communication link with crew members; supervisors and adjoining forces.

  12. The Watch Out Situations, cont. They are: 8. You are constructing line without a safe anchor point. 9. You are building a fireline downhill with fire below. 10. You are attempting a frontal assault on a fire. 11. There is unburned fuel between you and the fire.

  13. The Watch Out Situations, cont. They are: 12. You cannot see the main fire, and you are not in contact with anyone who can. 13. You are working on a hillside where rolling material can ignite fuel below. 14. The weather is getting hotter and drier. 15. The wind increases or changes direction.

  14. The Watch Out Situations, cont. They are: 16. You are getting frequent spot fires across the line. 17. Terrain and fuels make escape to safety zones difficult. 18. You feel like taking a nap near the fire line.

  15. The 10 Standard Fire Orders Guidelines to prevent fire fatalities. They are: 1. Fight fire aggressively but provide for safety first. 2. Initiate all action based on current and expected fire behavior. 3. Recognize current weather conditions and obtain forecasts.

  16. 10 Standard Fire Orders, cont. They are: 4. Ensure instructions are given and understood. 5. Obtain current information on fire status. 6. Remain on communications with crew members, your supervisor, and adjoining forces.

  17. 10 Standard Fire Orders, cont. They are: 7. Determine Safety Zones and Escape Routes. 8. Establish Lookouts in potentially hazardous situations. 9. Retain Control at all times. 10. Stay Alert, keep Calm, Think clearly, and act decisively.

  18. LCES (Lookouts, Communications, Escape Routes, Safety Zones) To reduce the risks of fire entrapment, Lookouts must be posted with Communications to each firefighter and have a minimum of two Escape Routes from a work location to a Safety Zone every time a firefighter is working around an objective hazard.

  19. LCES (Lookouts, Communications, Escape Routes, Safety Zones) • Back off if the situation is too complex. • Base all actions on current and expected fire behavior. • Post lookouts, establish escape routes and safety zones. • Re-assess your tactics.

  20. LCES (Lookouts, Communications, Escape Routes, Safety Zones) Situations where firefighters get in trouble Downhill & Indirect

  21. LCES (Lookouts, Communications, Escape Routes, Safety Zones) To implement LECS Establish : Lookouts Communications Escape Routes Safety Zones

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