Everyday heroes the Firefighter

CEBU, Philippines - Imagine a fire engine with a capacity of 1,050 gallons able to dispense 500 gallons per minute through a discharge outlet measuring 2.5 inches. That would easily give us the idea that within two minutes, the tank would be out of water.

Now, imagine a fire tank lorry supplying 12,000 gallons with outlet measuring 1.5 inches supporting, ironically, the fire engine mentioned above. Calculate disparity. Apply that to real firefighting scenario. Common sense would tell us why a fire bureau’s capacity to control a burning house, made of light materials, fail to meet the not-beyond-five-minutes rule of thumb.

Configuration of fire trucks is just one of the burning issues raised by The Firefighter as he shared how the media could have helped them raise awareness on this matter instead of berating them and accusing them of incompetence and “zero visibility”.

The source, who agreed to disclose a fire within their organization on condition of anonymity, pleaded for the public’s indulgence. At this stage of his heroic but near-retirement career, he admits fear of retribution from superiors who may not agree to the publication of this piece. He made it clear, though, that his intention is to make his bosses look at one of the concerns that reduce efficiency of their response and firefighting operations.

“Nakamenos ning ubang taga media namo. Nganong moingon man sila nga mas maayo pa adto nalang mo-tap sa mga volunteer fire brigades kay naa pa dayon sa scene, nya kami nalang mag-volunteer. Kahibalo ba sila sa among mga challenges within?” he shared.

“Sa configuration of the recent acquired truck pa lang daan dinhi, you do the math, it would give you the idea nga we cannot implement full operation in just two minutes even with a 50-percent pump capacity, kay suportahan man tag lorry nga lesser ang discharging capacity.”

What does this entail? The Firefighter said that normally, with 50-percent pump capability, they are able to immediately douse the blaze, put the fire in full control, and pull out from the area.

“Pero we are accused nga walay tubig ang tangke. Fifty percent gani ang discharging capacity sa fire engine, natural dali ra mahurot. Who’s left on the scene? Some volunteer fire brigades on photo ops, so kinsa may makita when we’ve already left the area?”

Besides, we are the ones trained properly to rush into burning buildings. So kinsay mabutang sa gawas? Hungry-publicity volunteers giving away their achievements to media. What do you think has stopped them from coordinating with us on the proper perspective when we all work in the single objective of suppressing fire? It’s because they have their own agenda,” he stressed.

“It is the mandate of the law that they are to receive instruction from the ground commander – the most senior government firefighter in the scene. Ayaw ko pag-ingna wala sila kaila, that’s impossible. That gesture alone sends to the public the message that we are no better than them.”

“Connect that to the specifications of our truck, supposedly to support us. How can we perform better when we are not getting the right device? In the event of inadequacy of fire hydrants, the other fire brigades are supposed to assist in the relay of water. Pero di pa man gani manghatag,” he divulged this with a chuckle.

There is also the perennial problem on the mob during fire incident responses.

When suggested that the low regard for government firefighters could have stemmed from the fact that fire hoses could easily be grabbed by some people who believe they know better than firemen, The Firefighter pointed out: “That’s the work of the police, to cordon the area. Kay dili man nato malikayan nga nay nasunogan nga desperado na, sigurista pa gyod, mangilog nag hose. Gusto niya unahon ang iyang balay og salbar. Totally unfamiliar of our assessment procedure.”

He took this opportunity to appeal for the help of the media to disseminate information and educate the public that firefighting is a communal effort. “Instead of sige gataki namo, why don’t you help explain that in responding to fires we have to consider covering exposures.”

He meant that the procedure would involve cooling down an area near the fire to prevent the event of radiation. “Mangutana mo ngano nga bas-on namo ang dapit nga wala masunog? It’s because fire behaves differently depending on the cause.”

He mentioned that fire starts in many ways. “Some slow, some fast. These happen in different stages.”

The incipient stage has no visible smoke or flame yet. The smoldering stage shows smoke but without flame. The flame stage, as the name suggests, has both smoke and flame; while the heat stage has this uncontrolled spread of superheated fire.

“Fire spreads in four ways,” he added as he enumerated heat transfer by radiation, heat transfer by conduction, by convection and direct heat transfer.

Heat transfer by radiation involves the stages of emission, absorption and transmission of heat or energy. It involves the thermal process whereby atmospheric circulation is maintained through the upward or downward transfer of air masses of different temperature.

Heat by conduction is the transmission of heat from one body to another. It is the transfer of heat from one molecule to another molecule.

Heat transfer by convection is the diffusion of heat in liquid or gas form through the motion of its parts; while direct heat transfer is the transfer of heat from one body to another through direct flame contact.

“That’s what we would want to avoid. Heat transfer by radiation, so automatically we indulge in the cooling down of exposures,” he further enlightened.

Another very good point raised by The Firefighter is the misnomer in the reporting of fire incidents. “Mao sad nay lisod if wrong or inappropriate ang termino gamiton sa reporting, imbis makatabang og pasabot, makamugna hinoon og confusion,” he expressed.

An often misused and misunderstood phrase in reports is “faulty electrical wiring.”

“If there is actually faulty wiring, there would have been no electric power from the very start when you switch on the circuit breaker or the main service protective equipment,” he explained.

So what then actually happens? The Firefighter stressed that the wires or circuit becomes overloaded because of the increase in the load the circuit carries without changing the size of the wires. The subsequent effect will be weakening of the insulation of the wires due to overheating in the circuit caused by the additional load. (FREEMAN)