Wayfinding in Zero Visibility
Every day, firefighters across the United States place themselves in the IDLH atmosphere of structure fires. These incidents are among the most dangerous to firefighters, and therefore should be the incidents we are most prepared for. On structure fires, we have three main priorities. In order they are life safety, fire control, and property conservation. With life safety being our top priority, we place all our efforts in ensuring that task is achieved. This means that firefighters are constantly working to improve technology and methods for life safety. Among the research is that of wayfinding in zero visibility. Firefighters enter structures, only to be immediately blinded by the smoke that envelops them during a fire. Firefighters must always be aware of their locations during rescue so that they themselves do not become the victims. This article, written by Tim Robinson for Fire Engineering Magazine, does an excellent job of providing various new methods for keeping a cool head in situations of blindness on the perceptual level and conceptual level...
...nd others for injuries, look for and extinguish small fires, inspect your home for damage, listen to the radio for instructions, and expect aftershocks.
"NFPA 1710: Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments, 2010 Edition." National Fire Protection Association. N.p., 1 Jan. 2010. Web. .
# Coleman, Ronny J., et al.Fighter's Handbook: Essentials of Firefighting and Emergency Response. Delmar/Thompson Learning, Stamford, CT, 2000.
The most pressing issue facing Detroit, in regard to fire, is the steady amount of burning vacant or delipidated buildings, and second to that is the high rate of home fires. For the purposes of this project, the capabilities of
Allison is a 28 year old White Caucasian who is in her first-year doctoral student, doing a practicum at a community agency in a predominantly Latino neighborhood in a large urban area. Allison has a client called Carmen. Carmen is a 19 year-old Puerto Rican. Carmen and her family moved from Puerto Rico when she was 10 years old. Carmen is single, lives with her parents, and attends a nearby community college. For several sessions, Allison and Carmen had been looking on career options that Carmen has after she obtains her associates degree. In one of these sessions, Allison reviewed with Carmen various career options. After each suggestion that Allison gave to Carmen, Carmen would respond that she is interested, but she needs to consult
prove to be blind when it comes to the world they are in. By looking
The key to effective Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) is preparation. A large part of that preparation is the ARFF apparatus, which are the vehicles they use in order to respond swiftly and effectively to crashes of varying magnitudes. Airports are required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to keep ARFF apparatus’ in working order as well as to have a certain amount within specific classes in correlation with the size of the airport and the size of aircraft that the airport operates with. A further analysis will identify the specifics of these perimeters as well as some of the various types of ARFF apparatus’ and the support equipment that compliments them in the effort to save lives and extinguish aircraft fires.
To some, proper maintenance of a vehicle is mundane, but in the fire service it is the pinnacle of consequence if left abandoned. All tasks are performed to foster confidence that the trucks crew will be able to perform their job with the utmost of safety. A unified effort in the proper inspection and upkeep of all fire apparatus allows for the knowledge that all fire personnel will be safe in the case of an emergency. A high standard of excellence encourages confidence in trustworthy driver engineers. As driver engineers make every effort to ensure the safety of the family of fire fighters inside the fire apparatus and the patrons that they have sworn to serve, this is the testament to true selflessness.
Navigating the internal environment is a challenge for the visually impaired that is typically minimized through familiarization of the internal environment. That is to say, the visually impaired people can learn the way their homes are arranged. However, the issue of navigating the external environment proves to be a challenge because the external environment is not directly under the control of the visually impaired person [2]. It is challenging for the person to take a stroll, access social amenities and go to places of work. When examined on a global scale, most visually impaired people depend on the public transport system and walking to navigate around. Therefore, they depend on sighted assistance to identify the bus number, bus stops and the physical location of the bus. Moreover, challenges of navigation through walking includes barriers, uncovered drains, construction sites and lack of handicap-friendly
“The Wonders of the Invisible World”, written by Cotton Mather, is an account of the Salem Witch Trials. He retells information that has been passed down to him without actually being present at the trial and simultaneously explains his theory to why witches were suddenly emerging in Salem, Massachusetts. There were quite a few holes in the Salem Witch Trials, especially regarding whether or not these events occurred the way they are said to. Mather’s book shows us how intense the Puritan ideals were, attaching anything out of the ordinary to a higher power and in doing this shows the flaws of the religion which caused to Salem Witch Trials.
Thousands of fires occur on a yearly basis throughout the United States. Whether it is forest fires, house fires, or any other event that involves uncontrollable flames, the outcome will always be the same; high amounts of destruction and physical damage. When fire emergencies occur, responding to the incident may not be much of a complication as apposed to determining the source from where the fire started or what triggered its behavior, which is truly the challenge. In order to do so, a fire investigator has to be present at the scene of the fire after it has been eliminated. The investigator, after reviewing any possible marks or behavior trails, will conclude if the incident was indeed an accident or intentional, thus making it an act of arson. According to the U.S. Fire Administration Topical Fire Research Series, “Arson is the leading cause of fires (267,000 annually) in the United States” (usfa.fema.gov). Arson cases are very complex due to the fact that it can be committed virtually anywhere and by anyone, including fire responders as well. The motives behind arson incidents can also be a very complex issue because it may have been used as a cry for help or simply as a mode of cognitive escape. Gathered reports indicate that the main reasons for arsons committed by firefighter personnel are to be viewed as a heroic figure, an escape from personal stress, financial gain purposes, excitement, or even revenge against the fire company and others.
Every year communities struggle each year around the nation with issues of life safety. In 2012, the nation’s fire departments responded to 31,854,000 responses that resulted in the deaths 0f 2,855 civilians and injuring 16,500 causing an estimated $12,427 million dollars in damage. (United States Fire Administration, 2014) These incidents put at risk 345,950 career and 783,300 volunteer firefighters that resulted in the deaths of 81 individuals (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2013) and nearly 70,000 reported injuries. ( Karter & Molis, 2013) These numbers represent incidents that are determined to be in the line of duty but do not take into consideration the long-term health risk issues that may develop. Evidence shows that he hazards associated with Fire and Emergency Services are consistent across the board whether paid or volunteer and jeopardize the lives and health of each individual, placing administrative and physical control measures reduces this risk to firefighter within an organization. While it is impossible to eliminate the hazards firefighters face, it is important to identify these hazards as the first step in reducing the potential for loss of life and wellbeing both physically and mentally.
Joe Lombardo of the Garden City Fire Department made it a point during fire school to emphasize that a good firefighter will always maintain a clear head even in the most harrowing of circumstances. This task may be difficult in situations where an enormous amount of information must be transmitted to effectively fight the fire. Recent innovations in fire scene communication technology have allowed for more information to be transferred to the appropriate firefighters before and during the initial attack. The following outline some of the more important innovations to fire communication technology:
The purpose of this CERT IS-317 course was to prepare individuals not part of the professional disasters relief field to help in the event of a disaster. These everyday individuals become part of a team that can aid in preparing their families, neighbors, and coworkers for the threat of a disaster. CERT program participants become familiar with disaster preparedness, fire safety, hazardous chemical awareness, disaster medical operations, terroristic threats, and search and rescue procedures. Following the completion of this course and along with hands-on class room course experience the CERT participants will be valuable aids to professionals during a disaster (CERT Training Manual, 2011).
...t, A. James, and A. Scott McKnight. "The Effects of Motorcycle Helmets Upon Seeing and Hearing." National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. United States Department of Transportation, Feb. 1994. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.