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FD improves safety, response

  • Published
  • By Brandice J. Armstrong
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla., --  After investigating the way fire attacks large industrial facilities, Tinker Fire Department officials recently improved one of their processes. They reduced the number of obstacles and the amount of time it takes to reach a fire once they arrive at the site.

Their new process saves firefighters several minutes, could save lives and makes the firefighters safer while they are working. Officials said it is a perfect example of how a program can improve performance and safety at the same time.

"The importance of us getting there quick and being able to attack is what this whole process is about," said Terry Ford, Tinker Fire and Emergency Services chief.

Prior to the rapid improvement process effort study, it took Tinker firefighters an average of seven minutes and 54 seconds to reach a fire in a large industrial facility. That time does not include the time it takes for firefighters to dress in appropriate gear or traveling to the destination. Once at the blaze, the average firefighter spent more than four minutes in a dangerous heart-rate zone.

Much of the problem could be attributed to hooking a fire truck up to a hydrant and then advancing the hose from the truck to the fire. By the time the firefighter is ready to attack the fire, the blaze has likely burned for nearly eight minutes and could have reached flashover, when an entire room is consumed by flames. At that point, the burning room is approximately 1100-degrees Fahrenheit. Neither the room, nor victims could be saved. Additionally, a firefighter donned in full gear may likely fall victim to the fire.

Through Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century value stream mapping, fire officials found a smarter way to fight a fire, by utilizing a standpipe.

A standpipe is a vertical water pipe, often found in and outside multi-storied buildings, which can attach directly to a fire hose. Standpipes are often marked with blue reflective bands to make it easier for firefighters to spot them.

To use a standpipe, firefighters connect the fire truck to a hydrant and then to the standpipe connection outside the building. Then, the firefighter takes a package of hose inside the building, connects it to the inside standpipe and fights the fire, Chief Ford said.

"The faster we can get to a fire, the faster we can get water on a fire, the faster we can attack a fire, the better," Chief Ford said.

By using a standpipe, it takes a firefighter an average of two minutes and 43 seconds to get to the fire from the truck. Plus, a firefighter only spends roughly 53 seconds in a dangerous heart-rate zone.

There are 85 firefighters at Tinker Fire Department. Of them, roughly 23 are on duty every day.