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I was recently sent an e-mail with an attachment (I am posting below) that sent me to a site with the video and radio traffic of a Mayday given by a Houston firefighter and an Incident Commander at a low-rise fire.

I get a lot of these. This one got to me. I found myself pacing and eventually in tears. It is an incredible accounting between a very disciplined Incident Commander and a fire captain.

http://www.firecamera.com/index.cfm?Section=4&pagenum=216&titles=0

If you have not seen the video, I suggest you do. I don't know who the Incident Commander was or who Capt. Abbt is but If I was down and lost at a fire, I think I would want the chief who is know as "Command" at this fire to run my Mayday. Again, If you haven't seen it, do so and then let me know what you think.

If discipline and control was a city, this chief (again, who I have no clue who he is) would be the mayor.

posted by Skip Coleman
9/06/2007 07:38:00 PM

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2 Comments:

cfd911 said...

Everyone no matter the rank should listen and think about this call. The IC was in control and remained calm even when the radio traffic went gridlock. I have always said there are too many radios on the fire ground. Too many people don't realize that we don't need every bit of info all the time.

Listen to the Capt.'s breath sounds coming across the radio. As I listened, I started thinking, am I listening to a firefighter taking his last breaths before he dies? Can you not feel the difference in his voice and breaths?

Watching the video reminds me that we have all of this great equipment, but we never train on how to use it in the "big fire". On your next shift, go in the truck bay and get in your mind, what can I use on the same type of scene.

The tip of a ladder is worth far less than the life of one of our firefighters!

Fri Sep 07, 09:26:00 AM EDT  
Bobby Halton said...

http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/article_display.html?id=303082

Hey Chris David was the guy who made this tape he is also a close friend of Capt Appt. This is a great tape the link above will get you to Chris' site.

Sat Sep 08, 03:11:00 PM EDT  

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