| Charleston, SC (August 18, 2007) -- The tragic | | | | defend against the rapidly moving blaze. At the |
| fire that snuffed the lives of nine of Charleston's | | | | same time, dispatchers notified companies that |
| Bravest is the worst tragedy beset the fire | | | | they had received 9-1-1 calls from an employee |
| service since 9/11/01. Of course the immediate | | | | who had become trapped in a closet area. |
| need following the disaster was to mourn the loss | | | | Firefighters rightfully turned their attention toward |
| of so many great men, and console their families. | | | | the rescue operation, and the firefight took a |
| But now -- months following the incident, after | | | | back seat to the most immediate task. At |
| reports and critiques are beginning to flow in. In a | | | | 7:20pm the trapped victim was freed after |
| nutshell, we're learning that the Charleston Fire | | | | firefighters had breeched an outside wall. |
| Department is operating in the past. | | | | Following the rescue, firefighters should have been |
| Use of 1" Booster Lines | | | | ordered to evacuate the building. With no further |
| One of the earliest criticisms came from | | | | life-safety issues, the firefight should have moved |
| firefighters around the country. Video and still | | | | from inside the builidng to an exterior attack. |
| images showed small, snaking red hoses leading | | | | However firefighters remained working in the |
| into the building. Is it possible that Charleston | | | | showroom, many of whom became disoriented in |
| made the initial attack using booster lines? The | | | | the smoke. |
| answer is yes - because it's how they've always | | | | News video shot from the front of the store |
| done it. | | | | clearly shows firefighters breaking windows in |
| These 1" diameter rubber hoses, known as | | | | what would normally be an attempt to vent the |
| booster lines, were commonplace on fire trucks | | | | interior of the building. However in this case, the |
| here in the USA 20 years ago. In most cities they | | | | tactic was mis-timed and firefighters unknowingly |
| were nicknamed "trash lines" and were used to | | | | fed the blaze with the oxygen it needed to grow |
| extinguish small nuisance fires. They have since | | | | even larger. In Goldfedder's timeline, at 7:25pm |
| been phased out in most departments because | | | | the interior of the structure erupted into a |
| they proved extremely ineffective during the | | | | massive flashover consuming the buildings |
| structural firefight and placed firefighters at risk. | | | | contents as well as the firefighters inside. With the |
| Jamy Cote, a former Charleston firefighter, told | | | | store fully engulfed in flames, rescue was |
| the Charleston Post and Courier, "The (booster) is | | | | impossible and by 7:30pm the structure collapsed |
| usually the first to be pulled off the truck," he | | | | onto the bodies of the nine Charleston firefighters. |
| said. "Big fire, small fire, it's so ingrained to pull the | | | | Early Findings |
| booster." Such safety inadequacies convinced | | | | In recent days, the early findings from the dozen |
| Cote to resign from CFD | | | | or so federal and local investigations that are |
| The water flow of a booster line is often debated | | | | taking place confirm that Charleston is a |
| but experts agree that 50 gallons per minute is | | | | department that has been (and continues to be) |
| the normal maximum. Compare that to the flow | | | | operating in the past. Here's the short list of |
| rate of an Inch and ¾ handline, which are | | | | findings...and they're saying it nicely. |
| also carried on Charleston's engines., which is 150 | | | | Establish Fire Department Safety Officer position |
| gallons per minute. Nationwide, these inch and 3/4 | | | | Apply incident command procedures on all |
| handlines are most often used to extinguish a | | | | incidents (ICS - NIMS procedures) |
| room and contents fire in a single-family dwelling. | | | | Rapidly implement personnel accountability system |
| Potatoes compared to the job facing Charleston | | | | with passports and PAR |
| firefighters. | | | | Reinforce appropriate use of personal protective |
| "With the amount of fire showing upon their | | | | clothing and SCBA. |
| arrival at the sofa warehouse, Charleston | | | | Increase initial structure fire response to three |
| firefighters should have chosen to advance more | | | | engines and one ladder. |
| powerful 2.5 inch lines," says Battalion Chief Ron | | | | Utilize the third engine as the Rapid Intervention |
| Vista of the Charlotte (NC) Fire & Rescue. | | | | Team (RIT) |
| Monsters yes - but at 350 gallons per minute, | | | | Working fire - dispatch 2nd Battalion Chief, 4th |
| deuce and a half hose have 10 times the | | | | engine company and an EMS unit. |
| firefighting potential of a booster line. | | | | Utilize the second-arriving Battalion Chief as the |
| Charleston Response SOPS | | | | incident safety officer |
| When a fire is reported, most departments have | | | | Communications changes including the use of the |
| a pre-planned response that takes into | | | | 10-code |
| consideration the type and size of the building and | | | | The use of the tactical radio channel for |
| its occupancy. For example, if the sofa | | | | responses. |
| warehouse fire had taken place in Philadelphia, 4 | | | | Changes in water supply standard operating |
| engines, 2 aerial trucks, a heavy rescue squad and | | | | procedures with near-term transition to large |
| 2 Battalion Chiefs would have responded. Count 31 | | | | diameter supply hose. |
| firefighters on scene. | | | | Use of 1-1/2 inch hose, or larger, for interior |
| But during the real-life fire in Charleston, only 2 | | | | attack as well as vehicle fires. |
| engines and an aerial ladder were dispatched. Upon | | | | Changes to standard nozzle configuration and flow |
| arriving at the warehouse at 7:11pm, only 11 | | | | for all handlines |
| firefighters were assembled. Their initial focus was | | | | Incredibly, the changes suggested here are not |
| on extinguishing a blaze in the rear loading dock | | | | new to the fire service. In fact, they are standard |
| area, with a secondary effort to evacuate civilians | | | | procedure for even the smallest of volunteer fire |
| and prevent the fire from spreading to the | | | | departments in this country. It begs the question, |
| showroom and warehouse. | | | | "What the hell was Chief Rusty thinking?" |
| The Firefight | | | | Some experts say that the department is so far |
| A narrative of the incident, prepared by Chief Billy | | | | behind current trends that only a major |
| Goldfedder reads, "As time progressed, smoke | | | | restructuring could possibly solve the problems in |
| began to appear in the showroom, and shortly | | | | order to allow the department to operate more |
| thereafter an exterior door was opened near | | | | effectively - and safely. The panels can only |
| where the (loading dock) fire was raging." At that | | | | make recommendations, so the ability to change, |
| point the fire entered the showroom, feeding on | | | | if it is to take place at all, lays solidly with the |
| a wealth of fuel - several tons of furniture. | | | | community, the good citizens of Charleston, who |
| Reports are that only one hoseline was in place to | | | | deserve much better fire protection. |