Firefighter II
Copyright and Terms of Service
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Key Terms
 Customer Service – the quality of an organization’s
relationship with individuals, both internal and
external, who have contact with the organization
 Loss Control – the practice of minimizing damage
and providing customer service through effective
mitigation and recovery efforts before, during, and
after an incident
 Loss Control Risk Analysis – the process in which
specific potential risks are identified and evaluated;
the goal is to develop strategies to minimize the
impact of these risks
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Salvage
 Methods and operating procedures firefighters use
 To save property
 To reduce damage from water, smoke, heat, and exposure
 During or immediately after a fire
 By removing property from the fire area and protecting it from
further damage
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Salvage Covers and Equipment
 Salvage covers are waterproof, and can be made of
cotton duck, plastic, or other materials that will
protect unaffected furniture and building areas from
heat, smoke, and water damage.
 Also know as tarps or tarpaulins
 Salvage cover sizes
 9 x 12 feet
 12 x 14 feet
 12 x 18 feet
 14 x 18 feet
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Salvage Covers and Equipment
(continued)
 Floor runner sizes
 Widths of 24, 27, 30, and 36 inches
 Lengths of 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 feet
 Equipment
 Should be located in readily accessible areas on the apparatus
 Some of the typical equipment carried on an apparatus:
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Electricians pliers, side cutters, chisels
Tin snips, roof cutter, adjustable wrenches
Pipe wrenches, hammer(s), sledge hammer
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Salvage Covers and Equipment
(continued)
 Some of the typical equipment carried on an apparatus
(continued)
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Various saws, knifes, bars, screwdrivers
Battery-operated tools, hydraulic jack, screws/nails
Plastic sheeting, wooden wedges and plugs
Sawdust, mops, squeegees, scoop shovels
Brooms, mops, sprinkler kits, water vacuum
Submersible pump, sponges, chamois, paper towels
Rags, electrical extension cables, adapters
Salvage covers, “J” hooks, “S” hooks, floor runners
Duct tape, plastic bags, rope, bungee cords
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S-Hook
Carryall
Water
Vacuum
Floor
Runner
Sump
Pump
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J -Hook
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Salvage Cover Rolls and Folds
 One-firefighter spread with a rolled salvage cover: one
person can quickly unroll a cover across the top of an object
and unfold it.
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Salvage Cover Rolls and Folds
(continued)
 Two-firefighter spread with a folded salvage cover:
 Some large covers cannot be handled by one firefighter alone.
 The balloon throw is the most common method for two
firefighters to deploy a large salvage cover
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Water Chutes
And Catchalls
 A water chute can be
constructed with a salvage
cover or floor runner wrapped
around two pike poles.
 Catchalls are retaining basins,
usually made from salvage
covers, that catch water
dripping from above.
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Covering Openings
 Exterior openings must be secured before leaving the
premises.
 Cover any doors, windows, or other openings that have been
opened or removed, using plywood, plastic or other
materials to keep out the weather.
 Cover roof openings with plywood, plastic, etc.
 Make sure the premises are secure before leaving; use
padlocks, hammers, nails, etc.
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Overhaul
 Those operations and activities conducted
once the main body of the fire has been
extinguished.
 Consists of
 Searching for and extinguishing hidden fires
 Placing the building and its contents in a safe
condition
 Determining the cause of the fire
 Preserving evidence of arson
 Should not begin until authorized by the
Incident Commander (IC), the fire
investigator in charge
of the investigation
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Fire Safety During Overhaul
 Safety is a major concern
 Steps to establishing safe conditions during overhaul:
 Inspect the premises for dangers.
 Develop an operational plan.
 Provide personnel the needed tools and equipment to work
safely.
 Eliminate existing hazards (utilities, etc.).
 Firefighters must wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE),
including Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA), until
all fire has been extinguished, ventilation is completed, and
the atmosphere has been proven safe for lower levels of
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Fire Safety During Overhaul
(continued)
 Situational awareness
 Additional safety considerations during overhaul
operations:
 Continue to work in teams of two or more.
 Maintain awareness of available exit routes.
 Maintain a Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC) throughout the
operation.
 Monitor personnel for needed rehab.
 Beware of hidden gas or electrical utilities.
 Continue using the accountability system until the incident is
terminated.
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Locating Hidden Fires
 Begin by evaluating the
condition of the area
 Two factors that affect the
stability of the building:
 The intensity of the fire
 The amount of water
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Structural Stability Indicators
 Weakened floors due to floor joists being burned away
 Concrete that has spalled due to heat
 Weakened steel roof members (the tensile strength of steel is affected
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at about 500 degrees F)
Walls offset because of elongation of steel roof supports
Weakened roof trusses due to burn-through of key members
Mortar in wall joints opened due to excessive heat
Wall ties holding veneer or curtain walls melted from heat
Heavy storage on mezzanines or upper floors
Water pooled on upper floors
Large quantities of wet insulation
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Fire Detection
 Sight
 Discoloration of materials
 Peeling paint, cracked plaster, and rippled wall paper
 Smoke emissions from cracks and burned areas
 Touch and feel the walls and floors for heat using the back of the hand
 Sound
 Popping or cracking of fire burning
 Hissing of steam
 Electronic sensors
 Thermal (heat) signature detection
with thermal imaging
 Camera
 Infrared heat detection
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Overhaul Procedures
 Typically, overhaul begins in the area of the most
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severe fire involvement.
Should begin as soon as possible after
the fire is declared under control
Carried out systematically:
 Determine the path of travel
 Remove necessary material in
order to check for extension of the fire
Have a basic understanding of building construction
Check the attic and basement for fire extension
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Protecting Fire Scene Evidence
 The fire chief has the legal responsibility for
determining the cause and origin of a fire, but may
delegate his authority to fire officers, fire investigators,
or firefighters.
 The first-arriving firefighters should observe any
unusual conditions that may indicate an incendiary fire.
 Vehicles and people present in the area
 The status of doors and windows (locked or open)
 Evidence of forced entry by anyone other than firefighters
 Contents of the room (Are the rooms in expected order,
ransacked, unusually bare, or absent of furnishings?)
 Indications of unusual fire behavior or more than one
point of origin
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Protecting Fire Scene Evidence
(continued)
 En route, firefighters should
make mental note of the
following:
 Time of day
 The weather and natural hazards
 Barriers that block fire
department access
 People leaving the scene in haste;
most people are intrigued by fire
and remain at the scene to watch
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Protecting Fire Scene Evidence
(continued)
 Upon arrival
 The time of arrival and the extent of the fire, noting the color and
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movement of smoke and flames
Wind direction and velocity
Whether doors and windows locked or unlocked
Fire location – this information may help determine the origin of
the fire.
Containers or cans that may have been used to transport
accelerants
Burglary tools such as, pry bars, screwdrivers, etc.; they may have
been used to break into the building.
Familiar faces, notice people who are seen at numerous fires; they
may be habitual fire setters
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Other Observations
 Unusual odors
 Abnormal behavior of the fire when water was applied
 Obstacles placed to impede firefighters
 Incendiary devices used to start a fire
 Trailers used to intentionally spread fires
 Structural alterations, fire patterns, and heat intensity
 Availability of documents and business records
 Fire detection and protection systems tampering
 Intrusion alarms tampering
 Location of the fire and ignition sources
 Personal or household possession removal or
replacement
 Obsolete equipment or inventory
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After-the-Fire Responsibilities
 Fire Investigation
 Gathering information that may lead
to fire cause determination in an
incendiary
 Loss Control
 Restoring the premises to residents
after an accidental fire while
conducting loss control activities
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Fire Investigation Responsibilities
 Once investigators have completed their work, firefighters should
continue to preserve evidence and control the scene.
 The scene may have to be secured by a law enforcement agency, such as
the police department or fire marshal’s office.
 Legally the fire scene must remain in the possession of the fire
department and under their control until the investigation is complete
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Loss Control Responsibilities
 An opportunity to put your department in
a good light with your community
 Minimizing damage to the structure and
its contents during and after fire control
operations is at the core of the fire service
mission: “To Save Lives and Property”
 Your efforts will be appreciated by the
community you serve
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Resources
 0135151112, Essentials of Firefighting (5th Edition),
International Fire Service Training Association
(IFSTA)
 Images used with permission from IFSTA.
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