The Aftermath of Firefighter Fatality Incidents

67 Pages·1998·0.63 MB·English

United States Fire Administration
Technical Report Series
The Aftermath of Firefighter
Fatality Incidents
Preparing for the Worst
Special Report
Federal Emergency Management Agency
United States Fire Administration
United States Fire Administration
Major Fire Investigation Program
The United States Fire Administration develops reports on selected major fires throughout the
.yrtnuoc ehT serif yllausu evlovni elpitlum shtaed ro a egral ssol fo .ytreporp tuB eht yramirpnoiretirc
for deciding to write a report is whether it will result in significant “lessons learned.” In some cases these
snosse lgnirb ot thgil we negdelw otnukoba erif -- eht tceffe fo ngoniitdcluirutbs nroo c,stnetnnoacmuh
behavior in fire, etc. In other cases, the lessons are not new, but are serious enough to highlight once
,s tds.nes yep u osdvo ec rtteel esse e rg elruirhnoafvaiada tiproei fc,oae tdcnesngreeIbeaampsosasc
drills, or new technologies or tactics that are of interest to the fire service.
The reports are sent to fire magazines and are distributed at national and regional fire meetings.
ehT stroper e realbaliav ano tseuqe rmo rsft n.eAmFeScUn ufoon nyA triileihbta le irdaaevhasiyllbeudpiw
in fire journals and newsletters.
noi tn ao e mesrd rhiuey ot htldffsT aioon emnabife detohkeilertrrvbdooioofwfrrpp
, s nm d s eeensgrsel raenen wbo i cikodetoh rftrsainderwfesusmtaibpoh uoeyactnmsrcceooepiodrllolpa
nihtiw eht erif ecivres ot evorpmi sedoc dna edoc ,tnemecrofne ,gniniart cilbup erif ,noitacudegnidliub
technology, and other related areas.
The Fire Administration, which has no regulatory authority, sends an experienced fire
investigator into a community after a major incident only after having conferred with the local fire
seitir oohtt uearus nti ae hcstn'aAtF sS diUenscasna edsleuropw e veibtr odpnpau sdluow ni onyaw
interfere with any review of the incident they are themselves conducting. The intent is not to arrive
during the event or even immediately after, but rather after the dust settles, so that a complete and
s 'wA eF si Ste vsUninet eta r c .f dicteeweoeirn bped h coaesiaf t lnhtvavmolai trielceuotraohapcLtmeijbo
report while it is in draft form. The USFA investigator or team is available to local authorities should
they wish to request technical assistance for their own investigation.
For additional copies of this report write to the United States Fire Administration, 16825 South
Seton Avenue, Emmitsburg, Maryland 21727.
The Aftermath of
Firefighter Fatality Incidents
Preparing for the Worst
Special Report
Reported by: Adam K. Thiel
This is Report 089 of the Major Fires Investigation Project conducted by Varley-
Campbell and Associates, Inc./TriData Corporation under contract EMW-94-C-4423
to the United States Fire Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Federal Emergency Management Agency
United States Fire Administration
Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS..........................................................................................1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...........................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................7
IMPACTS ON OPERATIONS.....................................................................................8
Procedures ................................ ................................ ................................ ............... 8
ssensuoicsn o yCt e f aS ................................ ................................ ............................. 10
tne mp i u qE ................................ ................................ ................................ ............. 11
gnin i a r T ................................ ................................ ................................ ................. 13
ytivitcudo rd P neal ar oM ................................ ................................ ........................ 15
tnemegan atMnedicnI ................................ ................................ ............................. 17
ytilibatnuoc clAennosreP ................................ ................................ ........................ 18
IMPACTS ON OTHER AREAS................................................................................20
noitnet ed Rntane mt iu rc eR ................................ ................................ ..................... 20
gnitro pneoRitcA-retfA ................................ ................................ .......................... 21
snoitagitsevnI ................................ ................................ ................................ ......... 22
PREPARING FOR THE AFTERMATH...................................................................24
seitilata Frethgiferi Fhti wgnilae Dro fecnadiuG ................................ ...................... 24
snoital e aR i d eM ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 25
seus s lIa g eL ................................ ................................ ................................ ........... 27
laicnaniF ................................ ................................ ................................ ................ 28
snoitanoD ................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 30
gnilesnuoC/tnemegana MsisirC ................................ ................................ .............. 31
RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................................................33
APPENDIX A..............................................................................................................36
APPENDIX B..............................................................................................................42
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
noritarep o eoshcettaicer pyplata enrogitartsini med rAsieFt adteSt ienhUT deviece
:trop esri hfntooitarape re phgtnir usdnoitazinag rd onealpo egpniwoll oe fhmtorf
)A Ps(thgi eaHnort afyNonapm oeCs opHotlliH
sre h dt;nozatn a nr;oFzDtn atr tFfaeMihC
secivre Seri Ff onoisivi D)NT (sihpmeM
FF A;Ignime l.FC .fJei h;Cnedd e .RtCrebr erHotcer iyDtup e;Dhti m .SsEelra hrCotceriD
d n , a, 7,5s1enig n fEsorecif fdo nsarethgifer ief hdt n;add oyTnn atDnedise r4P8 7l1acoL
le.k3r1onS
tnemtrap eeDr i)FI Md(rofliM
ztrawh cbS ofBei htCnatsissA
tnemtra pe er)D iYkF N ryw(foteoYiNC
f ofeih C;nahee Fmailli Wrenoissimmo Cytupe Dtsri F;ness Eno Vsamoh TrenoissimmoC
fei htCnatsis s;A. r,Jicn arGet esPnoitare p fOfoei h;Cirubas ahCpes otJnemtrapeD
mailli Wfeih Cnoilatta B;.D. M,ylle Kyrre K.r Dreciff Olacide Mfeih C;aterre ChtenneK
;nagirr oyChcal a.M r;Mkcirtapzt isFamo hnTiatp a;Cyenw oyD afRei hnCoilatt a;BelgaN
.r5edd adL n 4ae2nig n ,Ee2ucs e fRsorecif fdo nsarethgifer ief hdtna
e rufiaoFe r)u ABhPg(rubsttiP
;iksleisa Whpeso Jfeih Cnoilatta B;yessenne Hna Dfeih Cytupe D;nosnikci Deilrah CfeihC
. 7e1nig ndE n ,ak8cu r ,Te8nig n fEsorecif fdo nsarethgifer ief hdtna
tnemtra pee rD)i AFeWl(ttaeS
tnedise r 7Pl2ac oFLF A;Iroly adTlan ofDei hmCiret n)Iremro f,(llew e .SsEem afJeihC
;na eyDroge rfGei htCnatsis s;Amul yeMk itMnedise rePc i 7Vl2ac o;Lyevr alHuaP
;nedar Bnory Bfeih Cytupe D;suru Jleahci Mfeih Ctnatsiss A;dleifda Hnho Jfeih CtnatsissA
reciff Onoitamrofn Icilbu P;sniggu Dsema Jfeih Cnoilatta B;nwor Bnevet Sfeih CytupeD
d nsarethgifer ief hdt n;asgnu osYem anJiatp a;Cnesn ayHdn anRiatp a;Croly aaTigroeG
. 0r1edd ad Ln, a5,,s254enig nfsEoreciffo
egaP 1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
0 0t1som l,aecivr eesr ief hntiht iywtef ads nhatla e nhsoisahp mtenec eer hettipseD
erev erseff ussreh tyon aemli h,wyt u fdeon iel h ntria ehyc aee i odetunitn oscrethgiferif
ytilata frethgiferi fn irucc oseirujn idn ashtae deseh tf orebmu nllam sylevital e .rAseirujni
rie h,tstnemtrap eedr idfetcef fea h ntsotnedic neise h fttocap mei h,trevew o;hstnedicni
.tnacifingi syre vs iegral-t aecivre seri feh tdn a,srethgiferif
er eewre hhtci h nwsies alcarev eds n,aseidega retse h fteocnedic ndieunitn oechT
nootitartsini med rAsieFt adteSt i endhUettpm o,rsptnemtra pee rdsnitofce fmfreet-gnol
e hhtt oodbti as panwoitn e.t sttAnedic nyitilat arfethgifer ifhfotamret fe ahytduts
.srethgifer idf nsatnemtrap eedr i nfsotceffe-ret fmaret-gn odl neataidemmi
tnec e nrsitnemtrap eedr i ffsoep ylt l nadierruc ceov ashtnedic nyitilat arfethgifer iF
yd u.sts isthnTemtra preede rnaactilopor treom jsoaetmc rroefetnu lloav rmu or,rsfraey
elpitl uem ntosa e tldaereff utsa hsttnemtrap eedr ixf i fssoecneirep xee h ntdoesucof
er edhessucs isdtnedic nei h ftho c. asEra e 0yt1s aep hgtnir utdnedic nyitilataf-rethgiferif
si h otrtoi rtpniopdna tlsanoitare p nomao rdfetagitsev nyilevisnet xnee edb ayhdaerla
y nfsaoliat eldanoitare pcoifice pe shetuqiti rrcehtr uoeftd astmipmet toda nn,ayduts
nsotcap mliarutl ud cn,alanoitazinag r,olanoitare pe ohnsstoiuc oe fh,tre h.t tanRedicni
fsoecneirep xee h ntsidne rdt nsaeitlanom m. osCrebm ermie hdt nsatnemtrap eedr iefht
e hntiht idwerruc ctoa hstegna hy cneabircs eoddtenima xeer eswtnemtrap eedr iefht
e hettanimess idd n,anrecn o fcsoae rlaaitnet oypfitne d,itnedic nei hrtet ftanemtraped
.denra eslnossel
po telbissopm is it ihguohtlA rethgifer ifasfotcef fleanoito mee hrt oefraper
stnemtrap eedr ionftoitamrof nliufe seudivo r ospttirop esri hfltoa oe gh,ttnedic nyitilataf
el i. hyWdega rhatc u fssoecneuqesn oec hhtt igwnila e ndpil eyh atma hstrethgifer idfna
se osdi h,tstnedic nyitilataf-rethgifer ieflpitl ummo rnfwa red rear edhetnese rspgnidn iefht
ytud-fo-eni lrethgiferi fagnivlovn itnedicn iyn ao tecnavele rlaitneto prieh thsinimi dton
death.
egaP 2
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Impact on Operations ,srebm esm’tnemtrap eedr igfnivei reghT
ta hlte eodfte e,nytinumm oe chntet fdona
e h otdt ehlci hswmelbo rlpanoitare pyona
rethgife r. idAfesserd dgani eeb rsaeitilataf
ostegna hecriuq eyr atmnedic nyitilataf
,ser rosued ie rccloioalrnopopitarepo
gnitsi x oegtnireh d nasoisahp mdeesaercni
llu feh teli h .Wserudecor pdn aseicilop
ek astnoitadnemmoc esr tdi nnaoitagitsevni
em ors odfnam e eadlbl iewre h,temit
tnedicn ie h .Tnoitc aelbisi vdn aetaidemmi
segna hrceggi rytl nto oyn anmoitagitsevni
t u,bseitilat ae fhotttnavel esrnoitare pnoi
.stce plsaanoitar erpeo hsnteiogn aohscla
Impact on Safety Consciousness ytilata frethgiferi ff otceffe-retf anommo cA
ytef a nstiseret ndiewen e sarsitnedicni
yre v tesarebm etmnemtrap eedr igfnoma
lamr o ofntoitid d. nalIev ellanoitazinagro
lamrof n,iseicil o rpsoP O oSetd asmegnahc
tcoe tphr stun eicesrwcteofg onlaahrcutluc
.yte fdarsa wsoetduti trteathgiferif
hsinimi dya mssensuoicsno csih t,revewoH
sek attnemtrap ee dhstsel neum ihttiw
.etvires enorotpi tlcaamrof
tnemp i tuncqoaEpmI lanosr erpethgifer i nfsouc oefsnet nniA
,aid eem h yttbnempiu qeevitcetorp
nomm osscireh td on,aseicne gyarotaluger
si h .Ttnedicn iytilata frethgiferi faretfa
tnempiu qnseouc ooyftcned n nesaittluser
e hfetosu aE cHseTaruli atfnempiu qreo
sisylan adn anoitagitsevn ineh w,seitilataf
n ignitc asrotca flareve sslaeve ryllausu
.noitanibmoc
egaP 3
Impact on Training floarev e fssoecnatsmucr ilcanoitare peohT
desaerc n n ioadt edleidu tsstnedic neiht
er idfetcef fea hntiht igwninia r ntsoucof
nsoisahp mrealucitr ahpt i,wstnemtraped
,serudecor pdn asllik sgnithgiferi fcisab
laren e,gselpicni rnpoitcurtsn ogcnidliub
gnivorp mdi n,assenera wdarazah
.snoitacinumm odcnuorgerif
Impact on Morale and Productivity ao ttcejbu se byllaitin illi wsrethgiferiF
raet fsarosser tlsanoito mfyeoteirav
elih w,yllaren e .Gtnedicn iytilata frethgiferif
yt u fdeon iel h nteidarm o facsos oelht
ytilibarenluvn if ognilee feh tegnellah cyam
yre ver ayeh t,srethgiferi fyna my bdeyojne
”kc aebcnuo bod“tn ed tntaneiliser
,lli t .Sydegar teh tmor fylkciu qylevitaler
dee nlli wsrebme mtnemtrape deri femos
.sreh tnoa hlta eyhllanoito m oeetm ietrom
emi teh tnevi ge bdluoh ssrebme mesehT
ri eenhvite idor etgye enthrtop pdunsa
.y anwwo
Firefighter Aggressiveness tcae rlli wsrethgiferi flaudividn ihguohtlA
saes atcs o nm,iydega roayttltnereffid
raep pta osne otdnedic nyitilat arfethgiferif
f ossengnilli weh ttceff ayltnacifingi sot
s'mra hni “sevlesmeh tecal po tsrethgiferif
.”y a nw ier ,yahoettettFhsrhetoatrmp
et d a,unh etat”vicoit“dstsaergga
ecivr eesr itfnanimode rep hsteziretcarahc
.s e eet efshadhouTte tSt eienrnhiuUttluc
ta hstcitc agtnithgifer irfoiret n,ievissergga
delbu oehrsut leu m c eatfh srotearpa
eru t eathn atehgtdelw o enhhk ttdiewcnalab
degnah csa hsgnidliu beri fdn aseri ffo
hti wyllaiceps e,srae ytnece rn iylbaredisnoc
thgiewthg i fleo sduesaerc neiht
roiret nciitehtn yd snnaoitcurtsnoc
.sgnihsinruf
egaP 4
Impact of After-Action Reporting elbaul ayvlemert xe ersatrop enroitca-retfA
lanoito mee hhtt igwnila erd osfloot
.tnedicn iytilata frethgiferi faf ohtamretfa
”denra eslnosse lma“o rdfehcaorp pnaehW
sdietanimess indoitamrof nei h,tevitcepsrep
srethgifer idf nsatnemtrap eedr i ofltufpleh
d n,adenepp atha hgwnidnatsred nr uoefkila
tifen elbanoitid d. nasArom ugrnicud errof
rloafitn e gtesnohiipttro pneoritca-re tffoa
mor fstnedicn iralimi stnever po tgnipleh
.eru t egunhnfitirrucco
Importance of Preparedness ,er aer rsatnedic nyitilat arfethgiferiF
ts or mosfecnerruc ceolbaknihtnu
stnemtra pee rd,isfseleh t.es ntonNemtraped
o tecal pn isenilediu gdn asnal peva hdluohs
snoitcnu flaitness edairy meh teldnah
noitagitsevn i:tnedicn in ahcu sgniwollof
lennosr e,pserudeco rnpoitacifit odnna
,snoitale raide m,gnilesnuo cdn agnifeirbed
. c,tsenoitarap elraprenuf
Media Relations evisnet xtecep xn easctnemtrap eedriF
ytilat arfethgifer irafet feagarev oacidem
ra oefm i sa ttirie vnea het r. otMnedicni
no sorte pes betleknahoectpmostfraped
.no idton oecG ti ttlrnaboiufopp
gnildn arh osferudeco rdp nsapihsnoitaler
yn aetagiti mple hya msevitatneserpe raidem
si h ftsoecneuqesn oecvitag eynllaitnetop
runcoc oey-gaeamr r. eeavg ioadcreeMvoc
.tnedic nei h ftyorasrevin neaht
Legal Implications eh tmor ftluse rya msesa clivi cr olanimirC
edbluo hsstnemtrap eed r. itFnedicni
sgnideec olrap genetilapicit rdoaetpraperp
ostlai rntos rda neadicim omho rgfnignar
e h steius sy.i esAkgnira eehtaborp
etaru c,ceatel p emfcooncatropmi
s td intanedic ne i hfntooitatnemucod
.snoitagitsev ntineuqesbus
egaP 5
Under the Looking Glass ftocep syare vyellautr i fvyonitur cessnetnI
dsnnaoitar etpnoemtra peerdif
ganiwoll odfetcep x eenb ancoitartsinimda
yniturc ssi h .Ttnedicn iytilata frethgiferif
ht osbecru ofysotei r maao vrsfemoc
.tnemtrap eedr ie fhntiht imwo rd fneadistuo
,ema lnbgis sokate enset fsoecr olfanretxE
ssiuc olfanret nsi’tnemtrap eedr ief hetlihw
d ndaenra eslnoss eel h ntyollausu
.seideg aerrtu tgunfitneverp
Crisis Management/Counseling e rsfeeatorhwnataemtr a eptresidofM
sser ttsnedicni-ts oeptaidem m fieoulav
feocnatrop mei hetzila erre w. egFnifeirbed
ro felbaliav agnilesnuo cmret-gno lgnivah
lanoitom eeh thti wlae dsrethgiferi fgnipleh
.tnedic nyitilat arfethgifer i fafsotceffe-retfa
eva hlli wlaudividn iyrev ehguohtlA
mret-gn odl nganilesnu o,csde etnnereffid
ed a emdbluo htsropp ulsacigolohcysp
,srebme mylima f,srethgiferi fo telbaliava
.seeyolpm enailivi cdna
Taking Care of Your Own ostrovivr ugsno myacned n seeaitrehT
laren u ffsoliat eed h nt pidueppa rewmoceb
,seilima f’smitci veh tgniple h,snoitaraperp
efsone p e,xthseatnoitc nruef hdtnoa
d n,aseilim anf wroie h otttropp ugsnidivorp
eobs lya aom h,wseugaell orcie hott
eri feh tf osrebm e .Myllanoitom egnireffus
rebmem edrluo h,sslev ell l ta,atnemtraped
ot ekat erac fo esoht elpoep tsomtnatropmi
to them.
egaP 6