Glendale Fire Department
SAFER Meeting Minutes
February 16, 2018
SAFER Board Attendees: Past President Duran , President Quinn, Seely, Snider, Past President Gurrola, Szczepanek , Vendor Liaison Sposato, Communications / Social Media Liaison Rabe
Glendale Fire Department Sta 21 – Admin Headquarters
1000 Meeting called to order – President Quinn opened the February 2018 SAFER meeting and introduced Glendale Fire Department Deputy Chief Bill Lynch who welcomed SAFER and began the meeting by leading the pledge of allegiance. He related Glendale Fire Department provides “all risk” services to 32 square miles with 9 engine companies, 3 truck companies (4 man staffing - P/M Engines with private EMT-1s for transport). Glendale Fire Department is “A full service, all risk department”. Thanks to Glendale Fire Department for hosting the February 2018 meeting of SAFER. Deputy Chief Lynch introduced the Glendale staff officers in attendance: Verdugo Fire Communications Deputy Chief lanzas, BC Chris Stavros A Platoon, Jeff Brooks Local Union President.
President Quinn related the recent improvements to the website and the move towards a new sign-in process.
Committee Reports:
NFPA – Dick Weise – No NFPA report – Dick unavailable due to injury. Is at home reviewing select NFPA standards the NFPA is considering.
CalOSHA – No committee report available. President related “What to do if CalOSHA comes knocking”. He related some of the characteristics a CalOSHA inspection that everyone should be aware of before allowing an inspection to begin.
Apparatus – No specific committee report.
Safety and Training- No specific committee report.
Technology – See Website, Facebook, twitter, linkedin
Treasurer – Doing OK, can take membership renewals here at meeting. Improvements on the website – let him know if you have any suggestions. Thanks to Tracy and Tony for work on the website.
Communications – Tracy / Tony:
Vendor Liaison – March 5, 6 & 7 Firehouse World in San Diego. This is the last year in San Diego, will be in Los Angeles beginning in 2019. Will be a three day FH World when it comes to LA. Joe believes the LA FH World will be a big improvement – second only to the FDIC. Joe reminded everyone planning to attend FH World – San Diego to register on-line for free passes to show display floor as there will be an admission fee for those without advanced registration. Pre-registration is free on-line, $25.00 at the door. President related the LAFD Chief has related to his staff that the FH World event will be a huge attraction with large participation.
Behavioral Health report: President Quinn related a wellness / behavioral program element will be added to our “Standing Committee”.
*FDIC is at the end of April 27, 28 & 29 in Indianapolis.
Program: “Three Strikes, You’re Out” – Hazard Warning Standard
Brian Bulger – Retired Ventura County, FIRESCOPE Safety Specialist – Safety Subcommittee Chair, Type I Safety Officer, CA Interagency IMT Team (CIIMT) 4.
PowerPoints: (1) Tradgedy – Mark McCormack
(2) Train the trainer
(3) Self Taught Program
Related Gordon Crane (Unit Leader at a fire that involved LOOD’s) spoke at a meeting where a breakdown in communications and missed situational awareness resulted in the deaths of crew members in his command.
Robert Saleb – Survivor of “Man Gulch Fire” @ age 17. Described his experience at that fire where the balance of the crew were killed. The “10 Standard Fire Fighting Orders” were written after three fires : Rattlesnake Fire, The Man-Gulch Fire and ____.
PowerPoints:
(1) Mark McCormack – Santa Clara County Fire Department in bay area. Mark worked his way through several California Fire Departments, received several community awards and participated in agency committees. He was a frequent volunteer for community / fire service related initiatives.
(2) Train the Trainer PP: Developed to help agencies state wide to utilize the “Tree Stripes, You’re Out” standard by Santa Clara County.
Swiss cheese Theory:
The US Air Force has a theory that it takes seven mistakes / errors to allow an accident to occur. The concept that when considering the ability of light to show through as multiple layers of cheese slices are added. Such is the likelihood of errors / omissions can add together to allow an accident to occur.
The specifics of the incident that Mark McCormack lost his life were related by the speaker using a plot plan of the property showing the location of the house and 12 KV powerlines above. The house had “packrat” conditions, well involved in fire in the darkness of night. Same crew had been to this address before on other responses. The Branch 1 Director and safety officer had knowledge of the 12 KV line that had fallen across the driveway from the power lines above, at about chest height. The Safety Officer laid out yellow tape to mark the hazard on the ground. Communications had dialogue about the power line over the tactical frequency. There was large fire flow being used to attack the structure fire which drained into the area of the downed wire(s). The victim had left the immediate area to get a new air bottle. A crew member walking through the area related he felt something hit his helmet as he walked through the hazard area – failed to contact enough to “go to ground”. A company member tried to prop the line back into the tree with a fiberglass pole to make a corridor to work through – he also didn’t go to ground. Mark walked by himself to look for a fellow crewmember and came into direct contact with the 12 KV for about 20 seconds. Damage to his gear showed the metal in his boots had melted into the concrete. CalOSHA sited Santa Clara County for several issues.
This was the incident that started the “Three Strikes, You’re Out” Hazard Identification Procedure.
The speaker demonstrated the use of the “single safety tape” as a safety barrier: It is met to keep “unauthorized personnel out” - most public safety personnel don’t honor the barrier tape to “them “as emergency workers.
The clearly identifiable method to assure that emergency personnel
President Quinn related a “Green Sheet” that LAFD has from an accident (façade collapse) that they are currently investigating. Injured 5, 3 with Fx bones.
***OSHA Check sheet(s) are available on line. They can be long and tedious but can be helpful.
CalOSHA will usually default to “General Industry Standards” when considering citations after an incident
***”The Three Strikes” Standard will be in the FIRESCOPE FOG manual and in NIIMS in next publication.
An issue with “Wildland Incidents” - where a hazard exists but can’t be effectively marked using “Three Strikes” techniques was discussed. In these incidents the hazard should be in all Safety Statements, Morning Briefings, and clearly communicated to all incident participants.
The standard is meant to be “all hazard” so any “color” of tape is acceptable but RED / BLACK is recommended when available.
The intent is that a method is used to communicate hazards to emergency workers by a clearly identifiable standard.
1100 Meeting to venders
1145 Round Table:
Scott Quinn- Bat Chief LAFD: Recruiting beginning - look at LAFD website. Recommends beginning candidates apply and experience the process. Working to organize a seminar RE: FF CA Support Network, PPE Maintenance.
Brian Bulger – Thanked the group for hosting the meeting on the Three Strikes initiative.
Keith Gurrola – Fire Chief Fillmore City – Looking to purchase some equipment items: (TIC) and gas monitors. Training is available in RENO for wildland.
Russ Snider ORCO – Recruit class just started 48 people, 10 new Type 1 Engines…
Kelly Witt – Workrite Uniform Co.- Will be at FH World
Jim Evans – Solutions Safety – Related 1851 is being finalized with strong language for equipment use for cleaning and defining decontamination types / levels / methods for various types of exposures. ISP’s will likely have to demonstrate effectiveness of their cleaning services. The “How clean is Clean?” questions discussed.
Jordon Evans – Solutions Safety- Related her position at SS, wants to develop as a reference source for the fire service.
Joe Sposato – AllStar – SCOTT EX3 PRO harness can be removed and laundered easily. Next SCBA change is supposed to make all SCBA’s inter-connectable for “buddy breathing” connections. NFPA chose the DRAGER connection which nobody in the Fire Service uses. 62% of all SCBA’s in US are SCOTT. This standard will likely be held up to remedy this issue.
Lolo Hernandez – Acct Manager – Christian Brothers Mechanical Services (Nedermean Vehicle Exhaust Removal System)s – Related their company sells / installs exhaust removal systems – newest system allows faster response from station and is based on a magnetic link / connection.
Eric Higgins - Bestway Laundry Solutions: Has equipment for PPE laundering, extractors, installation, service and coordination with Solutions Safety for Injector pumps. Will be at FH World.
Jack Koltaj – Fed Fire Ventura County – Changing PPE from silvers to structure fire turnouts.
Gail Mills – Scott Mills Prints - Thanks crews for work on recent fires, related her family has property in the fire area. Have posters for fire / law with individual identifiers / personalization’s for wall decoration.
Mark Sheldone - Days Off Consultants – Related the products / lines Days Off represents.
Tracy Rabes – Line Gear – Related her product lines for wildland PP and FF gear
Bill Ward – Pump-pod USA – Related the uses / benefits his test / fire flow trailer offers to fire / water agencies: Water conservation, Engineer Training – Testing, Pump Testing.
Mike Weisenberg – Ventura County Fire – Discussed the aftermath of the Thomas Fire his agency is working through. Related the Pump-Pod was very beneficial to engineer candidates who took their recent promotional test process. New recruit process will be starting soon. Getting two BlackHawk Helicopters. Annexation with Santa Paula is ongoing.
Hector Gonzales – Ventura County Fire –
Jim Cleary – Plymovent – Related the “Plymovent System” is widely used throughout the regional fire agencies.
Ashly Silcott – Curtis Fire Equipment – PPE Specialist - Related they will be at FH World.
Charles Turansky – Curtis – Showed new boot they will be showcasing at FH World. He discussed their hood product(s) with excellent performance numbers.
Louis Garcia – Western States Fire Equipment – Thanked Glendale for hosting, related the issue with plastic hoses mentioned last meeting that failed under fire condition’s during the recent wildland events.
Bob Mercurio – AllStar Fire – Discussed hood selections available through AllStar, demonstrated a new flexible light they’re showcasing. Will be at FH World.
SAFER email : SAFER.Members@gmail.com, twitter, facebook etc.
Meeting adjourned: 1200
Vender’s, Manufacture’s and Consultants represented at this meeting: