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Firefighters face new challenges

Black Diamond Fire Chief Jamie Campbell said the newer homes being built often burn faster and produce more carcinogens than those built decades ago.
Basement fire
Firefighters are becoming more skilled at assessing fires based on the age of structures.

Firefighters need to stay on their toes now more than ever when battling a blaze.
Black Diamond Fire Chief Jamie Campbell said the changes in house construction in recent decades requires firefighters to assess more than just what part of the building is on fire when arriving on scene.
“Everybody now needs to know what to look for,” he said. “They need to understand building construction.”
Campbell, who’s been a firefighter for 32 years, said household materials are smaller than they were decades ago.
“If you think back to the 1920s and ’30s, buildings were built with two-by-fours,” he said. “We’re now building with materials that are 1.5 inches by 3.5 inches. The material is smaller. There’s less material to burn before it collapses.”
In addition, many household items are derived from hydrocarbons, which burn faster, Campbell said.
“The fire load is so much higher than it used to be,” he said. “Carpet, paint, furniture, cabinets, counters, clothing burns very easily.”
Fifty years ago, it would take longer for a fire to reach a certain intensity, said Campbell.
Now, with the lighter construction and higher fire load, arriving on the scene of a structure fire often results in a defensive attack because it’s too far gone by the time the trucks arrive, said Campbell.
“If you were to look at a house under construction now it doesn’t take much for a fire to impinge on that,” he said. “Collapse is far more immanent in a newer construction than an older one.”
This is why firefighters need to be assessing the building the moment they arrive on scene, said Campbell.
“They have to be trained when they pull up in front of the building what it’s made of,” he said. “Now you have to be much more careful because of the way we’re building buildings.”
Campbell said fires have the potential to be more dangerous if one isn’t paying attention because of the way fire can impact the construction.
For instance, floors used to be made of sold wood joists that are now commonly replaced with OSB - made up of glue and bits of wood that fires burn through quickly. Once the glue heats up, it becomes a flammable liquid, said Campbell.
The actions of firefighters following a fire also changed in recent years.
With so many household items full of carcinogens, Campbell said firefighters must wash their gear down and put it in a washing machine with special soap to get rid of any lingering hydrocarbons.
“Our gear protects us, but it’s still off gassing when you get back into the truck,” he said. “Now we have to decontaminate and wash ourselves down.”
This means each firefighter must have two sets of gear in the event they’re called to another emergency before the cleaning process is complete.
To better protect firefighters, the materials their gear is made up of has also changed and improved. Campbell said it’s lighter, more flexible and much of it has Gortex liners to allow moisture to get out while preventing it from getting in.
Their boots have also changed. When Campbell started, he wore rubber boots. Before that they were like hipwaders. Now the boots are made of leather, making them more comfortable in the various situations firefighters find themselves in.
“Try to fight a wildland fire in rubber boots,” he said. “Before, our feet were raw and sweaty. Now they’re more comfortable and have better support.”
What’s also changed is the breathing apparatus, which now has displays in the mask showing how much air is left and microphones to amplify their voices.
Technology continues to improve in all aspects of firefighting.
Campbell said the 22-member department recently ordered computer rated dispatch for its trucks that will show a map with the location of the call and the route. It will also show which trucks are already on site and where they’re positioned, said Campbell.
“We’ll get mapping, routing and have the ability to get notes and send notes back and forth to dispatch,” he said. “We’ll have the ability to push a button to say we’re on route and on scene. We’ve been working on that for about a year and a half now.”

 

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