Report Number: 05-0000241
Report Date: 05/27/2005
Event Description
The following is what happened in the words of the person it happened to. The article below is a safety article the captain wrote in our department newletter.
DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU
A CAPTAIN'S STORY by (name deleted)
On November 11, 2004, while assigned to (company number deleted), we responded to a structure fire at (address deleted) in (city name deleted). Upon arrival, the structure was heavily involved with fire venting through the roof. After the quick actions and hard work by all members involved, the fire was brought under control. (Company number deleted)'s crew then started overhaul operations along with other fire department members when I was involved in an accident that could have been avoided.
(Company number deleted) personnel were performing overhaul operations when we discovered an additional access to the attic area via the folding attic stairs. I instructed a firefighter to climb up the stairs and check for fire extension in the attic. Some small pockets of fire were found. As the firefighter was attempting to make his way back to the stairs, his air pack became entangled in some wires and he was unable to free himself. I then proceeded up the wooden folding attic stairs in attempt to free him. I began to cut the wires off his air pack when the stairs broke completely away from the frame it was connected to. I briefly caught myself on the beams of the opening with my forearms, but eventually I fell to the floor below injuring my right shoulder. I attempted to continue in the overhaul phase, however the pain was too great and I was eventually transported to the hospital. I was diagnosed with a shoulder strain in the muscle and released that night. I was very fortunate due to my physical conditioning to suffer only a minor injury and only miss 1 ½ shifts from work.
I want this accident to become a learning experience for others, so something like this does not happen to you. We all need to be aware of our surroundings, especially when engaged in active fire suppression activities. Do not allow yourself to get “tunnel vision” and use whatever convenient means or equipment available to get the job done. Most wooden fold down attic stairs are rated between 250-300 pounds. The 250 pound rated stairs are the most commonly used because they are cheaper to purchase by the building contractors. Using the folding attic stairs in your house might be alright during normal use, but with your body weight, full turnout gear and equipment, you can easily exceed the maximum weight limit allowed for these types of stairs.
I know some of the hardest things for us as firefighters to do are to admit when we make a mistake. In our profession, mistakes cannot be made, especially during fire ground operations. Let’s take the extra time and effort to utilize the proper ladders and equipment provided to us when engaged in firefighting operations and our daily activities.
We will all make mistakes during our careers. However, we need to learn from our past mistakes to become better and safer firefighters. Do not let what happened to me happen to you. Let us learn from my potentially dangerous accident and think next time we see the convenience of those fold down type stairs and utilize the proper climbing equipment when accessing an attic in a residential structure. Good luck, be safe and healthy.
Captain (name and company deleted)
Lesson Learned
1. Educate all members on the importance of only using fire department approved equipment when engaged in active fire suppression activities.
2. Trying to get members not to have “tunnel vision” and using what ever are the most convenient items to get the job done. Using the attic stairs in your home might be ok during normal use, but with all the equipment and gear firefighters wear, the weight might prove too much for the stairs, which apparently happened in this case.
To view the whole report