Module 20: When things go wrong

Safety

Module Objective: Know what to do when a fire escapes. Practical actions to take to mitigate self-harm if trapped by fire.

When fire escapes

Even the best laid plans can go awry…

A sudden gust of wind or miscalculation in lighting up may cause a surge of fire to cross the fire break. The natural reaction is to get out of the way, which often leads to delays in attacking any smaller spot fires that may have started on the other side of the break.

Interest in the main fire can sometimes mean the crew may not notice small ember strikes or spotfires across the fire break. Lookouts should alert the crew as soon as any spotfires are noted.

Making a stand in front of a head fire is an extremely dangerous situation which should never be attempted. If fire goes across a firebreak, lie on the ground until the fire front or ember strike passes over, and then immediately attack the breakaway fire before it has time to build up. The natural instinct is to run, so training drills are useful to help know what to do in case of a small escape fire. Most accidents are caused by panic, which in turn is due to lack of experience or knowledge. Training should aim at teaching staff how to act normally at the scene of a fire. Training can include:

• Lighting and beating out a small grass fire using a ‘one lick’ type of exercise (where each person in the crew beats out a small area of a fire and then moves to the head of the line to repeat the action)
• Stationing a mock crew on the smoky side of a grass fire line

If you are not able to extinguish the breakaway

• Assess your danger. If safe, make your way back to a safety zone.
• It is important to follow the plan – go quickly to a safe zone and call in the helicopters.
• Experience shows fire will eventually burn itself out. Assess assets of value. Is the risk of suppression greater than the loss of assets?
• Don’t be a hero – sacrifice property over lives.

If you need to drive back to a safe zone or meeting point:

• Use only experienced drivers
• Drive carefully
• Use headlights on at all times
• Toot the horn occasionally to alert any other drivers

• Avoid having any flammable material exposed on the back of the ute.

• Park where the fire spread will not threaten the vehicle, and facing the way out. o Make sure other cars can get past o Shut all windows o Leave the keys in the ignition

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What to do if engulfed by flame

Do not walk through flames unless you can clearly see the ground beyond. Apparently this takes a lot of willpower so stamping the feet helps.

Do not enter uphill or downwind of the fire Do not enter unburnt vegetation zones Do not burn an area to make a safe refuge.

Get to the safety zone quickly

Make sure all members of the crew know that everyone is to move to a safe zone, and pull out together. Walk at a steady pace and keep watching for further dangers. Avoid walking through hot ashes.

People overcome by fire will be under a lot of stress – they may act irrationally and expose themselves to excessive heat. Heavy smoke and dust can cause breathing difficulties. Try to lightly cover your nose and mouth with a handkerchief or bandanna.

Once at the safe zone:

• Count and name everybody
• Communicate your position to the burn supervisor and lookout

Assess your options but act quickly

Don’t worry about leaving equipment behind, as lives are more important! Don’t go after animals or personnel unless safe to do so – you will only put yourself into greater risk also!

If you can’t reach the safety zone

If the fire has blocked the escape route you and your crew may need to dig in and wait for the danger to pass. Air temperature heat and smoke can be up to four times worse than at ground level, so get down low –You will halve your survival chances if you stand up and face the flames.

Survival in the open is not easy. If you are suddenly threatened by fire and cannot reach a safety zone:

• Stay calm. In a panic, a safe refuge will be easily overlooked.
• Choose an area with little or no vegetation.
• Shelter behind a rock or outcrop, in a ditch or behind a fallen tree.
• Get low down or if possible lie flat on the ground, face down.
• If you have time, dig out a hollow to lie in, and clear any vegetation from around you. Wrap yourself in non-flammable materials or a wet sack if available.
• Shield your body as much as possible from the heat, protect hands by placing under your body, not at back of head.
• Stay put. Your natural instinct may be to run. You are safer to stay put until conditions ease.

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Be aware that fresh air pockets may be found near the ground. In situations where there is heavy smoke, move to a safer area. Caution – use of respiratory (dust mask) protection in heavy smoke can be hazardous. Thick smoke will also contain a range of poisonous gases that a dust mask will not protect you from. This is dangerous.

If caught in a wind shift retreat immediately to a safer area.

DO NOT run through flames unless you can clearly see the ground beyond.

DO NOT run uphill or down wind away from the fire.

DO NOT run into unburnt vegetation.

If you are in a vehicle and the road is blocked by fire

In most circumstances, the vehicle bodywork will protect you from flames and radiant heat, so stay in the vehicle and:

• Park on the roadside opposite to the fire, or drive into the middle of an open area with minimal vegetation.
• Close all doors and windows, and cut off vents to prevent smoke getting in.
• Switch on the hazard warning lights
• Keep below the window level and stay covered (woollen blanket or sack etc.) to protect yourself from the heat coming through the glass windows.
• Stay in the cab for longer than is comfortable, to make sure that the conditions outside have improved.
• Even with high intensity fires, the chances of survival are greater if you stay in the vehicle
• Communicate your position with your lookout and wait for help to arrive.

Do not drive a car through heavy smoke. You could drive off the road or crash and be in greater danger.

Modern vehicles are fitted with synthetic materials (e.g. nylon) that may melt and / or give out toxic fumes in the heat. Make sure you have an escape route at all times, and make sure everyone knows what it is.

When injury occurs

“A burn injury is like cooking a steak. Once you remove the steak from the grill it keeps cooking until the meat is cooled down.”

How can burns affect you? Burns vary in depth, size and severity. All burns must be reported. They may damage the underlying tissues as well as the skin. Burns can result from direct contact with the flame (conduction), or from exposure to radiant heat. The immediate dangers are when the burn continues burning the skin and tissues, and shock.

What can you do if burnt? If you are burned, cool the burn immediately with cold water for at least 10 minutes and get medical help. Heavy smoke / dust may cause you breathing difficulties, injury or death. Move away.

First Aid for severe burns

If a member of your crew is badly burned, you will have to cool the burned area immediately and watch out for signs of shock and get medical help.

• Avoid handling the affected areas more than is necessary.
• Do not remove burned clothing or break blisters.
• Do not apply lotions of any kind.
• Do not cover the burn in cloth of sterile dressing. If skin is exposed or weeping it is best to apply glad wrap to the whole burned area. Do not wrap limbs or torso tightly in glad wrap, as the wound is likely to swell. For this reason, it is best to apply the glad wrap parallel to the limb or body and gently tuck the ends under so the ‘dressing’ is water and air proof. This will help stop infection entering.
• If the face is burned, cut glad wrap into mask shape, leaving hole for breathing.
• Once wrapped, place the wound under cold running water for at least 10 minutes to cool.

Get help quickly!

Think ahead and call the medical centre while on route if taking a patient for treatment. People overcome by fire will be under a lot of stress – they may act irrationally and expose themselves to excessive heat.

~Refer to Burns Handout~

Animals in distress

If livestock may be impacted by the fire, contact the owner if there is time and follow his/her instructions for moving the animals.

• Open gates and allow livestock to move away from the fire, and close gates to keep livestock from moving towards the fire.
• Herd animals around the edge of the fire and into the blackened area where it has already burned.
• Cut fences if necessary and move livestock onto cropland, minimizing the damage to growing crops as much as possible.
• Release penned livestock from corrals and barns that may burn.

Bolt cutters may be necessary to open padlocked gates if keys are not available.

Learning Outcome

Know what to do to minimise injury and death if your fire gets out of hand, or you are in danger of entrapment.