The Road Warrior
by Allen Baldwin

Winter Is Coming And It Is Time To Prepare

Winter is just around the corner and for some, especially those in the Northeast, the potential for snowfall is less than a month away. We have talked before about preparing for and executing responses in winter weather. It never hurts to review the stuff we think we know just to make sure we haven’t forgotten and to discuss some things that are new before the snow flies.

It goes without saying that a lot of us will have to deal with dramatically different weather conditions, including low temperatures, icy conditions, frost, wind chill factors, which make it feel even colder than it is, and a greater reliance on heating systems. Cold weather also reduces our physical endurance, and we should always be prepared for inclement weather while combating shorter durations of daylight and decreased visibility due to precipitation.

All of these conditions greatly affect our ability to operate at the scene of an incident, and all of us need to prepare ourselves for season ahead.

Start with layering clothing, always wear socks and keep a spare pair handy, as well as gloves along with a spare set. Underclothes, insulated or not, are a must for winter responses at night and, of course, full personal protective equipment, including footwear with good traction, is a requirement. Dress as if you are going outside for a long period, because you probably will be.

We should always have a bag with spare socks, gloves, hoods and “beanie-type” caps in our apparatus, where they’re warm and dry for the troops who may end up needing them at the scene.

 

It’s important to remember to rotate crews to rehab and warm up. Make sure we have a warm rehab location to rest and re-hydrate with warm fluids. Think about calling the canteen wagon or sending someone out for refreshments.

Borrowing A Bus

It might be a good idea to contact a local bus company to see about borrowing a bus or two for rehab at a 2 a.m. “block-party” fire at 15 below zero with a wind chill. Asking now might make it easier for the dispatcher to make that call when it’s needed. And here’s a hint to the officers: we must always remember to protect our crews. Buses can also be used for sheltering uninjured people at an accident scene and those evacuated or displaced by fires or other disasters.

Don’t forget to monitor health conditions, paying special attention to items such as hypothermia and frostbite, especially on fingers and toes. Keep an eye on your partner for telltale signs. Remember wet PPE will freeze and can cause the body heat loss. The body loses heat a lot faster wearing wet clothing.

The kind of responses we can expect to start receiving almost any time now, if not already, are calls for problems with starting furnaces, fireplaces and other heating appliances. It would be a good idea to do some public education on the importance of having heating units, flues, chimneys and appliances checked and inspected to ensure good – and more importantly – safe operations. We should also educate people on the dangers of carbon monoxide. There are all kinds of good free handouts available from various sources, such as the U.S. Fire Administration, on such topics.

While speaking of carbon monoxide, departments should review standard operating guidelines and check to see when the meters were calibrated and serviced. It’s also important to train on the meters and review typical CO responses. Make sure all metering equipment is ready to go. Sensors, battery packs and chargers should all be checked before they’re needed.

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Another common response in the winter will be motor vehicle accidents. Let’s not forget about keeping the patients warm and dry. Extra blankets and plastic sheeting on the rescue, along with hot packs, are more than good ideas. Anti-skid material, like kitty litter or sand and salt, in a few small jugs should be placed on board too to help with inevitable on-scene icing conditions in cold weather regions.

Apparatus will need special attention too. First, make sure the heating systems are working properly in the driver and crew areas. In conjunction with that, make sure the radiators and cooling systems are in proper working order. Have a mechanic check them if there’s any doubt.

Fire pumps can – and do – freeze, and precautions need to be taken to prevent that from happening. Keep water flowing at all times at the scene or when the apparatus is outside, even if it just circulating between the pump and the tank, to help prevent freeze-ups. Even before the rigs go to the scene, check to see if the mechanical, electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic systems are functioning properly.

Checking Tire Pressure

Tire pressure should be checked, and automatic chains need to be inspected and tested. For standard tire chains, the kind that are put on and removed as needed, get them out of storage and make sure they’re ready for service. Check for broken links and faulty fasteners. Make sure to hang them near the apparatus to make sure they’re not tangled messes when needed.

Personnel, especially those who drive the apparatus, need a review on cold weather handling and driving techniques in ice and snow. All drivers need that because they all have to get to the station somehow.

We all know equipment has to come off the apparatus at most scenes, and we need to keep it dry to prevent freezing. Equipment that can be affected by cold needs to be inspected for damage, and rescue tools that may have come in contact with roadway de-icing agents, like salt or calcium chloride or other corrosive material, need to be cleaned and well lubricated before being put back in service. If not, corrosion can set in, and the abrasive action may cause untold damage over time.

Scene safety must also be raised to a higher level during this season. Ice can form on the ground or roadway quickly and without notice, which can make operations treacherous, and we may need to put down anti-skid agents to control it quickly.

Mist causing ladders and apparatus steps to ice up always is a concern. These conditions will require special attention and technique to climb. Remember, cold air keeps vapors low.

Also, while on the scene, we need to pay more attention to traffic around us due to decreased visibility.

Often, the “big rigs” can’t get into remote or blocked areas in the winter. Consider the purchase of special vehicles like four-wheelers, snowmobiles, rescue sleds, 4x4s and similar apparatus and equipment.

And, sometimes those big rigs get stuck. It’s a good idea to talk with the local road or highway department in the event a front-end loader or grader is needed to extract stuck or stranded apparatus.

While on the phone with the highway maintenance crew, ask what the plowing routes are and their areas of priorities and, if they don’t match yours, perhaps you could make some suggestions. At least knowing the plowing priorities will help drivers pick the fastest routes during inclement weather.

Another area to think about, worthy of a whole column of its own, is water and ice rescues. Be prepared with the right equipment and training to use it effectively and most importantly safely.

Take some time now, while the weather is still reasonable, and review your equipment, training and SOGs to make sure all department members are safe and return to quarters.

Editor’s Note: Allen Baldwin is the manager of operations and incident response for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and a volunteer captain with the Gettysburg (Pa.) Fire Department. He has been a firefighter and EMT for over 25 years, served as chief of the Chambersburg (Pa.) Fire Department and is an instructor with the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy and several community colleges.