LESSON 6 - PERSONAL SAFETY
All fire fighters have a responsibility to themselves for personal care issues that will impact their performance on the fire line. Each of us have individual identities with strengths and weaknesses that make up our character and we are the one person who would be best suited to deal with personal care issues. In this section, the issues dealt with are health related and must be considered as general information only. Advice can only be given by qualified medical staff in situations requiring further assistance.
Fire Fighter Fatigue is described as "extreme tiredness after exertion". This condition will occur as a result of a variety of circumstances, each having an impact on performance. To reduce the impact there are several key elements each of us need to be aware of in order to reduce the impact.
The smoke filled environment of a wildland fire does not have anything short of a Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) that will completely filter out all particulate in that area. Studies have concluded that there may be short term effects to exposure, but have been too short term to link any exposure with long term health problems. The best approach to dealing with the hazards associated with smoke exposure is managing your suppression actions.
Smoke Management Tactics
1. Always begin suppression action on the up wind side and use flank action to suppress the fire.
2. Limit smoke exposure to smoldering fire and inversion conditions (smoke laying close to the ground).
3. High organic soils and heavy ground fuel loads are watch out situations for poor venting conditions.
4. If unfamiliar with burning material (vehicle, aircraft ...), utilize municipal fire departments.
5. Consider exposure to smoke when planning crew placement. Use up dated weather forecasts for planning future placements.
6. Utilize heavy equipment in areas of heavy smoke to create a break (slash fuels) around the fire perimeter.
7. Urban Interface fires near structures should be actioned only by municipal fire departments.
Smoke matter content
— Carbon Monoxide
— Carbon Dioxide
— Acrolein
— Benzene (associated with gas engine operation)
— Formaldehyde
— Particulate matter
– All found to be under acceptable limit
Inhaling smoke can result in a variety of conditions that if extended over time can make breathing uncomfortable for some and very difficult for others. Limiting exposure will reduce the possibility of smoke inhalation but will not prevent some of the symptoms from occurring.
Smoke Inhalation Symptoms
— CoughingBasic First Aid For Smoke Inhalation
1. Remove victim from smoke filled environment immediately.LIMIT SMOKE EXPOSURE
Studies on smoke management and the exposure to smoke in the wildland environment is a relatively new subject and nothing in the Maritimes has been collected to date. Limit your intake, and if you or members of your crew are beginning to show signs of smoke inhalation, remove yourself or others from the environment.
Heat Cramps | |
Signs: Muscle cramps. | Treatment: Drink salted fluids. |
Heat Exhaustion |
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Signs: Headache, Fatigue, Nausea. | Treatment: Drink salted fluids, remove from sun and rest. |
Heat Stroke |
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Signs: Loss of consciousness Delirium. | Treatment: Seek immediate medical attention. |
Fluid replacement is vital. |
The first indication is usually shivering and if someone has gotten wet, begins to shiver, this could be an indication of hypothermia during the early stages. Treatment should include: Remove the victim from the elements and try to provide shelter, provide dry clothes (if necessary), provide hot drinks, provide an external heat source. Medical attention may be required if condition progresses beyond this point.
Lightning Safety
Lightning is a phenomenon which occurs as result of weather events such as: thunderstorms, dust storms and sometimes intense snow storms. During the development of any storm, air is being forced up into the cloud column with positive and negative charges separating within the cloud. An incredible amount of energy builds up within the cloud and needs to have a release mechanism, which results in a lighting storm. The temperature of a lighting bolt can reach 30,000° C and results in numerous fatalities across the country every year. Wildland fires occur in a natural setting which can place crews in a vulnerable situation during the passage of a storm. Education is the single most important means to achieve lightning safety and crews need to be able to protect themselves in the event of a storm.
The following precautions should be taken to ensure fire fighter safety:
Lightning myths: | - Lightning can strike the same spot twice. |
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- Rubber soles offer NO protection. | |
- People who have been struck by lightning. DO NOT carry an electrical charge. |
This completes Lesson 6 - Personal Safety