DE Manual Firefighter Driving Safety

Captain Fact Sheet

• PBCFR responds to an average of 150,000 calls annually.
• MVCs are the 2nd leading cause of firefighter deaths and contribute to 20-25% of FF injuries.
• Contributing factors to these incidents: excessive speed, improper navigation through intersections, unfamiliarity with apparatus, lack of seatbelt use, and inadequate DO training.
• Driver Operators (DOs) must understand defensive driving, including: safe following distances, evasive maneuvers, and anticipating other drivers' actions.
• Accidents most often occur during daylight hours on dry roads.
• Safety is based on the type of call; roadway, traffic and weather conditions; and other factors affecting emergency operations.
• Apparatus weights: Rescue: under 20,000 lbs, Brush: 28,500 lbs, Sutphen: 40,000 lbs, Aerial: 50,000 lbs, Tender: 57,000 lbs.
• The separation distance for blocking apparatus is 100-300'.
• Wail to Yelp is recommended at 200-300'.
• The distance between two units Code 3 is 300-500'.
• Siren Effectiveness: 300' at 40 mph; Sirens typically outrun at 50 mph.
• Blocking Angle: Use a 45° angle, occupying 1.5 lanes (SOG 1 lane).
• Place cones 15' apart, up to 75'.
• Limited access highways furthest cone distance is 150'.
• The space between the apparatus rear and another apparatus should be 25'.
• Water Tank Capacities: 300 gallons for 600 series brush/rescue pumpers.
• Aerial apparatus have 500-gallon tanks.
• Brush Trucks hold either 500 or 750 gallons.
• Engines are equipped with either 750 or 1,000-gallon tanks.
• Tenders carry 3,000 gallons.
• Dump tanks range from 3,000 to 3,500 gallons.
• DOs should be alerted when the tank level reaches 50% full and 25% full for evacuation (per SOG).
• Maximum flow rate when operating off the water tank is 200 gpm.
• Hydrant connections are 2-2.5” and 1-4.5” National Standard Thread (NST).
• Hydrant software, Water Source Locator, aids in calculating static pressure and expected flow.
• Dry hydrants are orange and require a 6” or 4.5” adapter.
• Reclaimed water lines are not secure, measure 2.5” and deliver 500 gpm.
• Construction sites require water tanks within 400', with a minimum of 20,000 gallons, and a 4.5” adapter for common connection.
• When laying out a 5" hose, maintain a speed of 10-15 mph; do not exceed 15 mph.
• The dry weight of a 5” hose is 100 lbs.
• Captivator is on all units, Sigelock on all suppressions.
• There are 4 types of rural water supply: Relay, Modified Direct, Nurse Tender, and Folding/Dump Tank.
• The last three operate in water shuttle operations.
• The preferred method for rural water supply is Relay, Source to Attack, with a relay pumper positioned in between.
• Relay is required when using 5" hose over 500' and 3” hose over 300'.
• Relay pressure is calculated using FL+20psi residual.
• Begin at 50psi, then adjust; static source, source pumper: RPM (all others psi).
• Involving more than two pumpers, the use of a water supply officer and a separate TAC channel is recommended.
• Direct pumping, a blend of relay and nurse tender, limits 3” to Siamese at 500 gpm.
• Modified Direct Pumping yields 6,000 gallons.
• Tender dump time: 3-4 minutes.
• NFPA 1901 requires 1,000 gpm in the first 90%. Low-level strainer: 2”.
• When flow exceeds 300 gpm, use multiple dump tanks, use 2 hard suction sections for a dump tank
• Minimum draft site pump capacity: 1250.
• Tenders are filled one at a time at a rate of 1,000 gpm and connected with a 3" fill site hose.
• ISO Tender dump success relies on the location of Dump/Fill and the route between.
• Flow Calculation: V / (A+B+C) = GPM where V = tender gallons, A = time to connect and empty, B = connect and fill, C = drive.

Fireground Operations

• A 1 ¼ acre lot needs about 200' for access, and a single-family home requires a flow of 250-500 gpm. The average gallonage to extinguish a typical house fire is 2,000-10,000 gallons.
• Nozzle Specs: 1.5” TFT: 70-200 gpm, 2.5” TFT: 95-300 gpm, Master Stream: 150-1250 gpm.
• Direct to discharge 1.5” 100psi-100gpm, master stream 400-450gpm, Ferraras Aerial Fog: 80psi, 250-1250.
• E-One manually set at 80psi, 300-1500gpm.
• Elkhart Combination nozzle: Fog-50 psi 150 gpm. 15/16” 50psi 185gpm.
• Akron Piercing Nozzle: 125 gpm @125psi. Fyrestick: 100 gpm @125psi, 2.5” 200 gpm @ 80psi and can penetrate cement block, brick, ³⁄₄” plywood, and corrugated steel.
• Solid bore: Handline: 15/16”-1 ¼”. Master Stream: 1 3/8"-2".
• Selectable gallonage: 100psi.
• Reciprocating Saws: Speed 1 (low) cut metal, while Speed 2 (high) cuts wood and glass.
• The Milwaukee corded saw is 120V, orbital, cuts left to right, fast/aggressive, and is not recommended on metal.
• Vent saws feature a stop slide up, the chain is on the underside of bar, and the bar extends from the center to casing, using the next nearest 2 (typically 16-18-20”).
• K-12 saws stop right and cut counterclockwise at depths of 12”-4” or 14”-5”.

Saw Blades

• Diteq 14" cuts metal, steel studs, railroad, rebar, other steel, PVC, plastic, bulletproof glass; not for wood.

• Dynable 14” is suited for multi-layer tar/gravel, wood shingles, wood decking, light metal, tree roots, tires, plastic, and auto body parts; avoid concrete or steel.

• Blazer 12" (wood) is preferred for roofing material over dynablade for plywood because it wont go through 2x4"

• Tornado blades are for light and medium gauge steel, metal guard rails, auto bodies, aluminum, burglar bars, steel doors, iron pipes, reinforced and non reinforced concrete.

• Composite blades are for metal and/or concrete based on the label and are not stored with fuel.

• Tools for changing saw blades include an adjustable wrench, medium flat head, vice grip rag, and gloves.

• Fuel required is non-ethanol (rec 90), 2-cycle oil, at a 50:1 mix ratio.

• Battery Dewalt K-9: 60V, 9” blade, 3 ¼” cutting depth. _6,500 RPM's with load manager light.

• 2-stroke saws require 2 hands to carry while 4-stroke saws need 4 hands because they have a 1” tank fuel space.

• Vent fans move 13,000 cfm, need choke Off- switch right, electric to increase flow turn dial clockwise.

• Hydraulic power units need hydraulic fluid, should be fluid specific to manufacturer, and require 1” from top of tank. Use a 1) dip stick 2) half-site glass or 3) neither of those.

• Do not run greater than 15 minutes without tools. 5,000-10,000 psi do not mix/match. Always dump before turning off.

• Mono couplings can be coupled under pressure, however manufacturer recommends dumping.

• SCBA cylinders must be changed if not at least 90% full 4050 psi. The hydro test is at 5 years. The life is 15 years. Within 3 months of either, bring to SCBA shop. HUD 6 AA Batteries (Duracell or energizer).

• Extinguishers: Water can/ CO2 hydro: 5 years. Drychem: 12 years. One ounce of foam added to water can reduces surface tension making a wetting agent. Refilled and pressurized by the Driver Operator.

• Generator Honda: 3500 120V. Switch always in 120V only. Must use GFCI.

• Honda Suitcase: 2200 watt. Built in GFCI. Overload alarm, oil alert, and output indicator. ECO off when starting.

• Deck gun max flow 1250 gpm. Nozzle reaction 630 lbs.