Flashover - "Do you have what it takes?"

Construction
Many times during the Fire Academy process I asked myself, "Do you have what it takes?"

If I was going to earn my badge and the brotherhood I was going to need more than ambition. I needed strength and courage.

While I was daily considering if I could make it through academy, we began learning in class about the construction of buildings and the materials that are used. These materials constitute their fire-resistance rating. There are 5 types of construction: Type 1 (Fire Resistive), Type 2 (Non-Combustible/Limited Combustible), Type 3 (Ordinary Construction), Type 4 (Heavy Timber/Mill), and Type 5 (Wood/Stick Frame).

This fire-resistance rating determines how a building and it's construction will hold up over time during a fire. It is important to note that nothing is "Fireproof." There are some buildings and materials that are fire resistant.

I knew nothing about construction, I'm a graphic designer, I draw pictures for a living. So I found it fascinating to learn that that Gypsum (Sheet Rock) is an inorganic plaster/wallboard that has a high water content which allows it to absorb high heat as the water evaporates. This is used to reduce the impact of heat against support structures to avoid collapse/failure.

Fire Resistant Gypsum © Gustafs

Not only do firefighters have to know what type of construction and building materials they are facing in a fire, they must be able to estimate the type of contents that could be on fire. This is called the fuel load.


Fuel Load - The total quantity of combustible contents of a building, space or fire area, including interior finish and trim, expressed in heat units of the equivalent weight in wood.

Think about your house or your work environment: How much stuff around you could catch fire? That is your fuel load.

I was about to find out what my personal metaphoric fuel load was.

Combustion
We were having a breakdown in our company. It is understandable to have different personality types disagree and we were all learning each others personalities. The four of us were unique individuals with different backgrounds and approaches to solving problems or viewing solutions.

Each week we were required by the Chief to meet as a company. During the Engine 12 meetings we were studying as a group. We would read the chapter and finish our written assignments together.

The problem was that our "Wash-Out" was making excuses and not showing up for study sessions, not having assignments complete, not reading the chapters, and having a general disregard for everyone else and their time.

I was not struggling with the book, the reading, the comprehension of the material, or the assignments. I needed to practice Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) donning. We are required to don (put on) our PPE and SCBA separately within 1 minute each or combined in 1 minute and 30 seconds. I needed to practice this and tying knots.

There were several nights that my entire company were not able to meet. I understood that "Buffalo" and "Double DD" (our officer) had EMT schedules that were difficult to work around. Wash-Out worked at a grocery store and worked until 9:00 so we did our best to meet when we could.

However, one night I asked for help and only Wash-Out and I could meet. It would have to be at 9:30 because he needed time to drive to the station where we would be practicing SCBA. I showed up at the station and texted him to confirm that we were meeting. He confirmed that he was on his way. As I waited I practiced knots, finished my assignment, and prepared my gear. I waited 30 minutes and he never showed and did not return my texts or phone calls.

I was burning mad.

This video shows the PPE/SCBA evolution. Now imagine doing this with your Chief and other firefighters screaming in your face. That will prepare you for what you read next.

The next night we reported to the bay in our companies awaiting the command to don our SCBA. "Alarm!" Chief shouted as we raced to put on our gear. I was nervous and fumbling with my belt and the zipper on my coat. As I placed my helmet on my head and pulled the strap tight Chief screamed in my face, "What are you doing Glenn?!! Why are you doing this different than everyone else?!"

I needed to take my helmet off, put my facepiece on, then don my SCBA in the next 30 seconds. The problem was that my helmet strap was stuck tight and I couldn't get it loose.

"C'mon Glenn, lets GO!!" I tried desperately and instinctively took my gloves off in order to be able to work it loose.

"You can't take off your gloves in a fire! What are you doing?! You fail! You all fail! Take it down and do it again!" He shouted with exasperation.

I failed. Therefore we all failed. We had to do the drill again and it was my fault. I was beginning to worry that I was not built for this, that I didn't have what it takes to be a firefighter.

"Alarm!" was shouted and we began again. This time as I raced through the drill I donned my boots, pulled my hood on, buckled my pants, threw my coat on and zipped it, pulled back my hood and donned the facepiece, threw my SCBA on my shoulders and buckled it, put my helmet on, attached the regulator, and then pulled my gloves on clapping my hands to signal that I was done.

It was time for inspection and as our company was inspected my helmet was lifted to find that I had forgotten to put my hood back on after I put my facepiece on.

"Another failure Glenn?!" Chief yelled in my face. "Everyone, 20 pushups thanks to Glenn! After that then you get to do this all over again!"

As I did those pushups and sweat stung my eyes, I was angry with myself for causing this pain and punishment for everyone else. Though it wasn't Wash-Outs fault I could not help but be angry with him for not assisting me the night before.

Flashover
We donned our SCBA again and this time we all did it right. We walked outside to the training grounds to see a Live Fire Training Trailer. A firefighter lit a living room set on fire and we learned as we watched the entire room quickly go up in flames.

© Middletown Township Fire Training Academy

We learned that materials themselves do not burn. It is the combustible fumes that catch on fire, producing heat and breaking down the materials to release more combustible fumes. It looks like this. At 0:38 seconds you can see the term "flashover" happen near the ceiling when the smoke catches fire.

As we watched the entire trailer fill with smoke and the thermal layers begin to lower to the floor the heat in the trailer become so intense that the heat caused the smoke to begin rolling like waves. As it intensified and the heat mixed with sufficient oxygen it exploded in fire.

As I stared at the fire raging from the room I reflected on my failures.

That night, standing in my kitchen, I broke down. I really wanted to be a firefighter and I knew it was going to be hard but I didn't realize how big of a responsibility it was. My emotions rolled over me just like the smoke in the trailer. Would I be strong enough to make it through this? Would I be brave enough to face the dangers? Would I be willing to lay down my life for a fellow firefighter? Would I be willing to study and train to make sure that I never caused the pain and punishment I had inflicted on everyone else that night?

My wife talked with me about the night. She comforted me through my apprehension and supported me with whatever decision I would make. I could work harder or I could hand in my papers. I could wash out.

As the combustion of my emotions subsided I realized that I did in fact have what it takes. I would not wash out. I would study and practice my skills on my own.

I was made for this.

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How did you resolve to work toward being a firefighter or complete your personal and professional goals? Did you ever have moments of doubt or struggles that punished others? How do you face responsibility?

Nicknames, Physical Training, and Water Rescue

Nicknames
I have yet to previously name any of my fellow recruits, and I will continue to keep their anonymity safe, but I will use their nicknames. Some of these nicknames have been earned in academy and others have been assigned by me. Generally nicknames are earned in life and in Fire Academy by performing a stupid action. Some of those stupid actions may be included in my stories.

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PHYSICAL TRAINING - CROSSFIT
As we began Fire Academy it was evident that training is the key to being a good firefighter. Continuing to train will make you a great firefighter.

Our first full day of academy we had Physical Training. Our Academy participates in Crossfit. Crossfit is a training method of mixed aerobic, anaerobic, strength and core conditioning workouts. If you want to know more, check it out here.

I also found this woman's success inspiring. Read her Imperfect Life blog.

These Crossfit workouts are the most grueling 10 minutes of my week. Our trainer is a brilliant man who works hard to get our firefighters in peak condition and able to face the rigorous challenges we'll face on the fireground. He is also very aware of our individual physical condition and ensures that we are not going to hurt ourselves.

CrossFit Trainer Certification © Cylon

[Disclaimer: I'm not a medical or physical fitness professional. Don't hurt yourself and try to sue me.]

I wish I had not waited until academy began to begin training. If you are a weight lifter, you might think about starting a running program. Can you run a 5k in your sleep? You're going to need to start building some muscle and balance. Yoga and calisthenics are great. This is a cardio-strength fitness program so work on both as soon as you pass CPAT.

Get ready for more squats than you ever want to think about. Learn how to do the exercises correctly or get used to hearing, "NO REP!" right in your ear.

Our first workout was a series of sprints, bear crawls, burpees, and sit-ups. I almost threw up but I knew better than to eat breakfast.

Here are my tips for surviving CrossFit:
• Stay hydrated - Drink water like it's your job, always carry a water bottle.
• Stay rested - 8-9 hours of sleep - mandatory.
• Stretch - Before and after.
• Take your warm-up seriously otherwise you'll hurt yourself.
• Breath! Learn to breath through every exercise.
• Push yourself. Don't quit, EVER!

I noticed that the class quickly separated into those of us who really needed some conditioning, those who could keep up, and those who were champions.

One brother who I'll call "Moustache," is a Crossfit champ. This guy is in great shape and really hammers through the work-outs. Needless to say he is at the top of our class chart and he's going to stay there. In comparison I have been hanging out somewhere between 13-15, in a class of 21, depending on the day and the workout.

To be honest, I'm not in great shape. I have spent almost 20 years being slightly out of shape and then obese. I have never played sports or been active and I did not eat a healthy diet. To make things worse I lived a sedentary life and work all day at a desk. I have changed that in the last 3-4 years but I have a lot of work to go. Though my scores may seem pathetic I have earned them. I worked hard during every workout and tried my best to give every rep all I could muster.

Cheater!
Here's my gripe in this post. If you know me, you know I'll work hard at anything I do. It is my nature to do my best. These work-outs are painful, stressful, difficult, and strenuous but I never cheat. I don't want to cheat myself out of making myself a stronger, better, and faster firefighter. In fact, I'm training to save lives, including my own. So why would you cheat during a workout?!

I won't lie. There have been times where no one was looking and I could have not done a full squat or skipped a few pushups/situps. I wanted to, really I did. But even if no one else knew, I would know that I cheated myself out of making myself stronger and ready for this job.

I know it shouldn't bug me but one recruit who I'll call "Cap'n Brown," constantly cheats by missing reps and recording scores that he did not earn. Sometimes that drops me a place on our chart. It bugs me because he hasn't earned his rank, his integrity is now in question (at least with me), and despite my best efforts, I can't workout harder than he lies.

What I'm trying to say here is, "Don't cheat yourself out of training or a good reputation."

Look for more Crossfit stories to come.

Integrity
Speaking of integrity and nicknames, here is how another brother earned his nickname of "Buffalo". One night after academy he joined his family for food and drinks at Buffalo Wild Wings. He neglected to change out of his "RECRUIT" uniform and was spotted by a member of the department.

The next night before we donned our PPE, Chief yelled, "I wanna know who was at Buffalo Wild Wings in their uniform."

As we stood in formation I looked around to see who would answer for their indiscretion. I saw my brother from my company step forward.

"You will all do 20 pushups. We succeed as a team and we screw up as a team. We all pay for it... as a team," yelled the Chief.

"Buffalo" as he is now called, was responsible for counting our reps that night. As he stood and watched us all pay for his mistake, I couldn't help but be thankful for his integrity. Had he not owned up to it we would have all paid a far worse price.

It was a lesson that we are accountable for our actions and representatives of our community and our brotherhood. Though it was a painful lesson, it was a successful lesson.


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WATER RESCUE
Our fire department has a specialized search and rescue team that trains specifically in regard to water rescue. As part of our Fire Academy we spent a day familiarizing ourselves with water rescue techniques, terms, and tools.

We drove out to a lake nearby and each company took turns jumping out of the boat and being hauled back in, hauling each other into the boat, throwing floating rope bags, and familiarizing ourselves with retrieval hooks.

An interesting thing I learned that day: Life jackets save lives. Don't make excuses - always wear a life jacket in the water.

The most interesting thing that happened that day was while several companies waited for their turn on the boat, two older ladies pulled up near the dock with a canoe sticking out of the back of their van. It was an amusing sight. Most of us stood around joking about the days events or talking about our studies. What happened next really opened my eyes as and reminded me why I was in fire academy.

Two recruits took it upon themselves to offer their help to these ladies and carried their canoe to shore for them.

Although it was not a death defying rescue nor heroic, it was impressive. Their action reminded me that I am training to serve my community. It is my honor and duty to help whenever and however I may.

I vowed from that day on that I would not pass any opportunity to serve my community, now matter how small the action is.

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How did you earn your nickname? What physical training do you do? Why have you chosen to serve your community?

The Firefighter's Moustache

In celebration of Movember - the Month of the 'Stache, I bring you a comical post in honor of the hair on the upper lip of all brave firefighters.

It seems that the moustache is a swashbuckling, daring spectacle. It tends to lend an air of dignity to a man's face. After all, when you think of macho men with moustaches you probably remember Wyatt Earp, Theodore Roosevelt, Tom Selleck, Burt Reynolds, Sam Elliot, Hulk Hogan, Alex Trebek, and yes, Victor Willis - the cop from the Village People.

Although no actual scientific poll has been taken it may be safe to say that 40% of all firefighters have moustaches. I realize I have no sources on this, other than looking around the station in Fire Academy, but just trust me on this one. Of the 21 recruits I am training with 9 of us have ridiculous moustaches.

The origin and style of the firefighter's moustache seems to be shrouded in mystery and legend. Well, maybe not so much mystery and legend but simple curiosity and awestruck, if not slightly nauseous, wonder. Really fellas, what's with the moustache?

I can tell you from my experience as a fully bearded gentleman who once took pride in my facial hair it is due to OSHA regulation 1910.134(g)(1)(i), which states: "The employer shall not permit respirators with tight-fitting facepieces to be worn by employees who have: 1910.134(g)(1)(i)(A) Facial hair that comes between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face or that interferes with valve function."

As my Deputy Chief of Training stated, "You don't want to die breathing toxic smoke because you can't get a good seal around your beard and no one likes the smell of burnt hair." Wise words, wise words.

So, how can a man still be proud of his manly coiffure and still be within regulations? This simple chart may help all of you who want to ensure a good seal with your facepiece or at least look like a firefighter.

Image © Brandon Glenn

I sport the "Handlebar" moustache because it is a ludicrous display of lip hair and because my wife dared me to. Now you know the real reason why some firefighters choose to wear the moustache and knowing is half the battle.

Do you wear a moustache in the fire service? What are your station SOP's in regard to facial hair? Do you have unspoken rules in regard to the firefighter moustache?

Igniting the Fire!

Photo © Greg Vivash

Ignition. It is the beginning of fire. The process of initiating self-sustained combustion. It is the explosive reaction of oxygen, heat, and fuel. It was time to truly test who I am and what I am capable of. It was time to begin Fire Academy.

I had passed the most physically demanding test of my life! Now what? I knew very little about the fire service so I was looking forward to the Fire Academy Orientation.

I arrived at the station right on time and sat down with the other recruits. None of us knew what to expect. The classroom was lined with firefighters staring intently at each of us, judging us. In walked the Deputy Chief of Training.

I learned quickly during that presentation that the hardest work of being a firefighter was far ahead of me. My self-imposed "grueling" work-outs were nothing compared to the Crossfit training, station cleaning, teamwork, turn-out gear donning, Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) exercises, knot tying, fire science, extrication, ventilation, hose rolling, confined spaces, fire and smoke trailers, reading, and testing.

I would almost literally need to become an encyclopedia of knowledge, skill, and strength in the next 5 months. In addition to the truly arduous tasks I would be spending 3 days a week in class and training. On my "off" nights I would be studying, practicing skills, and meeting with the rest of my company to help each other with these skills and studies.

We were warned that Firefighters are more likely to die of heart-attack or being run over during emergency rescues than by fire AND are more likely than any other profession to have their marriages end in divorce due to the time commitment. This created a great opportunity for me to talk to my whole family about what sacrifices our whole family would be making in order for me to serve my community.

I also learned that my very full beard would need to be shaved. The only facial hair a firefighter is allowed is a moustache. This is for safety purposes. A firefighter's facepiece must make an air-tight seal against his face, around his mouth and along his chin in order to properly administer air from the SCBA. That and no one likes the smell of burnt hair.

I was given my uniform and assigned a company of three other recruits. Within our company another recruit was assigned the duty of Officer. He was in charge of leading our company, assigning and delegating duties, arranging company meetings, and keeping us aware of Fire Academy information and requirements.

After I shaved my beard I put on my steel-toed boots and uniform. I was excited to study and work hard with my new brothers. However, we didn't act like a family yet. We were about to see just how dysfunctional we were as individuals and as a team.

My next post will feature some Fire Department History, stories of our physical training, and the story of our first academy "wash-out". What gets you motivated and keeps you going? Have you served in a military or para-military service? How do you keep your relationship strong despite a demanding job?

Wash-Out!

Now that we had all been assigned companies, donned our uniforms, and laced up our boots, it was time to experience Fire Academy.

Before a brief history of the fire service, we introduced ourselves to our class. I sat and listened intently to the stories of those who were sharing my fears, anxiety, and sense of awe at the task we had set ourselves toward.

Each of these men had an intriguing ambition to learn new skills, break stuff, and serve their communities. Many of them served in the military or police and EMT roles. They came from all over the country with different backgrounds and families. What we all had in common was a drive to be prepared for the worst.

I worried about whether I had the skill and knowledge to compete with these men. I worried about being the first to "wash out." 

Fire Academy is a very difficult program. You must be committed to the pursuit of knowledge, skill, and teamwork. Fire Academy will quickly separate those with simple dreams and aspirations from those with dedication and discipline. When you find out that you can't keep up with the testing, skills, and time commitment you either resign or get an escort to the door. That's called "Washing Out."

I set aside my apprehension and began studying. Our first class gave a brief history of the fire service in the United States, including the bucket brigades of 1648 to the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the Iriquois Theatre Fire of 1903 to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911. These historic tragedies led to great innovations in public safety including panic hardware on exit doors and established means of egress (exit).

Academy quickly escalated between book studies to physical training. We were introduced to Crossfit which is a total body cardio, anaerobic, aerobic, strength training circuit of workouts. We were required to perform exercises that tested the limits of our physical abilities and were intended to strengthen us physically and mentally.

We moved on to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) which is our bunker gear. A firefighter's PPE is designed to withstand extreme temperatures and protect them from severe burns and trauma. Although extremely well made and protective it is not impervious to damage. This is what happens to a firefighter and his PPE in a fully involved flashover fire.

Photo © NIS

We train relentlessly to don our PPE and Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) in 1 minute and 30 seconds. It goes something like this.

It became apparent very quickly who was keeping up on studies and practicing their skills on their own time. Several companies had progressed quickly and were very fast donning their PPE/SCBA - yeah, yeah, settle down Rescue 1. It was evident that they were practicing as a company and working hard together.

There were others who lagged behind both on their skills in the bay and on their test scores. In our company, Engine 12, we had a recruit who struggled on every assignment. Homework assignments were turned in late and incorrect, tests were incomplete or failing, training skills were lacking a sense of urgency, attention to detail, and knowledge. We struggled as a company and met after class and off-nights.

My concern initially began as assistance for my associate. We worked hard on the assignments together as a company, reading the book to each other, quizzing each other on review questions, practicing knots and donning SCBA. Unfortunately our hard work was not transferring to the class or the tests.

Engine 12 was quickly becoming a joke in Academy. Our "Wash-Out" was causing embarrassing moments of distress during drills in which Chief would become very frustrated and yell and scream about issues he had not resolved.

This was where I was struggling to realize the so-called brotherhood of the fire department. Until this point there was nothing more than competition. I remember one late night after academy, standing in my kitchen eating a late night dinner and wondering if I had what it took to fit in with these guys. Was I strong enough to take punishment for another man's problems and still support him?

After the third time that we as a company and as an entire academy had to pay for his mistakes by doing pushups in full gear, and he had failed his latest test, my concern had changed to anger. I had finally decided to confront him.

I had enough of his slacking and let him know. I yelled at him in the parking lot, much to the dismay of others, and let him know that I wanted him out. I considered him a safety risk to anyone who might have to work with him.

With that action I had failed a very personal yet departmental test. Chain of command. My officer is in charge of company discipline and decision making, not me. I had failed to remain as a supporting member of my company and was "freelancing". Freelancing is a dangerous and selfish mindset that can get a firefighter and others killed.

I knew immediately that it was not my place to tear him down and I had to consult some friends for help and wisdom. A great friend had related some military advice that kept my temper in check - I needed to let the program wash him out. It was my job to support him just as I would want others to help and support me.

Our "Wash-Out" began to show up and make time for study and passed his next test! I was very excited and continued to encourage him. However, that didn't last long. He quickly returned to excuses, missing practices and study meetings, and continued to fail tests.

We nervously continued to work together with a strained company. The following weeks involved search and rescue techniques, smoke trailers, confined space search, hose rolling, fire hydrant hooking, and hose control as we prepared for a real house burn!

As we geared up for search and rescue techniques we had all learned as a company that Engine 12 would now go forth with only 3 members. We officially had a member who had resigned.

Unofficially he was washed out.

I was determined to prove that I would not be washed out, that I was a strong firefighter and capable of doing this job. It was after that moment that everything turned around in Fire Academy.

Next week will include stories of water rescue training, fire trailer training, smoke trailer training, and search and rescue! Look forward to exciting stories and knowledge of claustrophobia, smoke inhalation, exhaustion, and FIRE!

Do you have a similar story? How did you stay focused to make it through your trials?

Firefighters - Gender Doesn't Matter

This post is a little different than my regular posts. This one isn't about me.

WHO TV13 is running a segment entitled, "Trial by Fire." It features newscasters Erin Kiernan and Sonya Heitshusen and their experience taking the CPAT. So I thought I would pay attention to it and give you readers an opportunity to watch the segments.

The series is particularly about female firefighters. Their history, struggles, and the debate about separate testing requirements based on gender. After the links, I'll tell you what I think.

Erin and Sonya take the firefighters test

Firefighter Workout

CPAT Gender Debate


Here is my honest opinion, please feel free to debate the issue. I do NOT think that firefighters should take a different physical capabilities test based on gender. A fire does not care if you are a man or a woman. It will kill you either way. Fire hoses, SCBA, axes, halligans, pike polls, PPE, and any other tool you are going to use in the process is heavy. Regardless of your gender, if you can't lift it, pull it, or push it then you should find a different way to be involved in fire safety.

This is not to say that I think women don't make great firefighters. They do. In fact as a recruit I am nothing compared to several of the women on the department who have been doing this job and doing it well. I have a lot to learn from them. Not as a woman who fights fire, but as firefighters.

Do you agree with me? Do you think I'm wrong and women should have a different CPAT test? I encourage you to take their poll.

WHO TV13 Debate Poll