Ventilation Tools Firefighter I

Copyright and Terms of Service Copyright © Texas Education Agency, These materials are copyrighted © and trademarked ™ as the property of the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of TEA, except under the following conditions: 1) Texas public school districts, charter schools, and Education Service Centers may reproduce and use copies of the Materials and Related Materials for the districts’ and schools’ educational use without obtaining permission from TEA. 2) Residents of the state of Texas may reproduce and use copies of the Materials and Related Materials for individual personal use only, without obtaining written permission of TEA. 3) Any portion reproduced must be reproduced in its entirety and remain unedited, unaltered and unchanged in any way. 4) No monetary charge can be made for the reproduced materials or any document containing them; however, a reasonable charge to cover only the cost of reproduction and distribution may be charged. Private entities or persons located in Texas that are not Texas public school districts, Texas Education Service Centers, or Texas charter schools or any entity, whether public or private, educational or non-educational, located outside the state of Texas MUST obtain written approval from TEA and will be required to enter into a license agreement that may involve the payment of a licensing fee or a royalty. Contact TEA Copyrights with any questions you may have.TEA Copyrights Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 2

Tools Turnout gear (protective clothing) – clothing firefighters must wear to protect themselves while fighting fires (including ventilation), during rescue operations, and on emergency medical calls I don’t remember this from the lesson or the slideshow. 3 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Cutting Tools Axes – Pick-head axe – 6- or 8-pound head, a very versatile tool, often used to open roofs to create ventilation openings. It can also be used to break windows for ventilation – Flat-head axe – 6- or 8-pound head, can also be used to open up roofs and create ventilation openings but is not as versatile as a pick-head axe 4 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Cutting Tools (continued) Power saws – Chain saws – commonly used during ventilation operations. When equipped with a carbide tip they can cut rapidly through many different types of roofing materials – Rotary saws – have many uses, but if the blade is changed to cut wood, they are effective in ventilation operations 5 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Pushing/Pulling Tools Pike poles – used for pushing or pulling down ceilings in ventilation operations to provide a path for smoke, heat, and fire gases to exit the building through established ventilation openings Roofman’s Hooks – used to sound roofs and can be used to pry roof shingles if necessary 6 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Portable Fans Blowers – used in positive pressure ventilation (PPV) where firefighters create positive pressure within the structure. This pressure is slightly higher than the outside atmospheric pressure, and smoke, heat, and fire gases are forced through the ventilation opening by mechanically blowing air into and through the structure 7 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Portable Fans (continued) Smoke ejectors – used in negative pressure ventilation (NPV) by drawing smoke, heat, and gases to established ventilation openings in the exterior of the structure 8 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Nozzles Combination nozzles – used in the wide fog pattern for hydraulic ventilation. The nozzle is operated at 100 psi. The air movement created from the fog stream helps push the smoke, heat, and fire gases from the building. The fog stream is inside the structure and placed so that 85 to 95% of the window or door opening to the outside is covered by a wide fog pattern 9 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Nozzles (continued) Fog nozzles – used in a wide fog pattern in hydraulic ventilation as well. The nozzle pressure is also set at 100 psi. The air movement created from the fog stream helps push the smoke, heat, and fire gases from the building. The fog stream is inside the structure and placed so that 85 to 95 percent of the window or door opening to the outside is covered by a wide fog pattern 10 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Attack lines Attack lines – to be in position before ventilation operations are begin 11 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Safety: Cutting Tools Make sure you have the correct tool for the job Wear your personal protective equipment (PPE) while doing the job. Gloves, eye protection, and hearing protection should all be used Maintain situation awareness Keep unauthorized people out of the work area 12 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Safety: Pushing/Pulling Tools When pushing or pulling ceilings with a pike pole, be aware of falling ceiling and roofing material. Do not use prying tools as pulling tools or pulling tools as prying tools. Use the tools for what they are intended Maintain the tool handles to avoid splinters and other damage 13 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Safety: Power Saws Make sure you have the correct tool for the job. Match the saw and/or saw blade to the material needing to be cut Wear your PPE while doing the job. Gloves, eye protection, and hearing protection should all be used Inspect the saw before and after each use Do not use a power saw if you are in a flammable atmosphere or near flammable liquids or gases Keep unauthorized people out of the work area 14 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Safety: Power Saws (continued) Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for saw operation Keep the blades and/or chains well sharpened. Dull saws are more likely to cause accidents and injuries Start all cuts with the power saw at full throttle 15 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Safety: Portable Fans Take advantage of prevailing wind conditions When doing PPV, make sure that the cone of air covers the entire entry opening If using electrical cords and generators, make sure that they don’t create a tripping hazard When doing PPV, it will not be necessary to enter the building to set it up 16 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Safety: Portable Fans (continued) Make sure you are schooled in methods of creating ventilation openings in all roof types. Flat and pitched roofs may have a variety of different coverings Be aware of backdraft situations Avoid “churning” air when doing ventilation. Churning is the recirculation of gases being drawn back into a room or structure because the exit opening around the smoke ejector has not been sealed 17 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Safety: Fog Nozzles Maintain all nozzles according to the manufacturer’s specifications Check gaskets for damage and replace them if necessary Check for external damage to the nozzle Check for internal damage to the nozzle and any debris inside it. Clean it according to the manufacturer’s specifications 18 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Safety: Attack Lines Hose should be washed, dried, and replaced according to the department standard operating procedures (SOPs) and the manufacturer’s specifications Inspect hose for damage and wear in accordance with the department SOPs and the manufacturer’s specifications Test hose in accordance with the department SOPs and the manufacturer’s specifications 19 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Scene Safety: Life Safety The first consideration is always life safety: both the lives of the firefighters and the building occupants. Ask these questions: – Are the occupants awake or asleep? – Have the occupants become overcome by smoke and carbon monoxide poisoning? – Are the building occupants alive? – Are the building occupants lost or have they found an area of refuge within the building? 20 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Scene Safety: Timely Ventilation Timely ventilation can help mitigate most circumstances above. Ask these questions: – Do you start ventilation before search and rescue operations? – Does the fire need to be attacked before beginning ventilation? 21 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Scene Safety: Hazards There are hazards that exist for firefighters. Ask these questions: – What type of structure is involved? – How old is the structure? – How and where will ventilation be facilitated? – Are there natural openings that could be used or are you going to have to create openings in the structure? 22 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Scene Safety: Hazards (continued) There are hazards that exist for firefighters. Ask these questions (continued): – Hazards associated with the accumulation of heat, smoke, and other fire gases include Visual impairment Toxic/flammable gases Oxygen deficient atmospheres Potential for backdraft Potential for flashover 23 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Resources , Essentials of Firefighting (5 th Edition), International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA). Photographs used with permission from IFSTA 24 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.