Newark Ohio Fire Department 252 Woods Ave Working House Fire Incident Command with audio

This is a house fire that we had on May 9th, 2015. The fire was confined to one bedroom with some minor extension into the attic. The house is balloon frame construction which is very typical in Newark.
I missed an good opportunity to order a transitional attack when the first engine arrived. A ten second blast through the front window might have been the key to a quicker knock-down.
The first arriving engine is a mutual-aid company. This is happening more and more in Newark as our on-duty staffing diminishes due to budget issues. The mutual-aid unit done a great job as always, but that isn't by chance. We work well with our surrounding mutual-aid departments and include them in on our training when possible.
I post these videos so that others in the fire service might be able to learn from the good and/or the bad. Please keep your comments respectful. I have additional command-view videos on this KZbin channel as well as my other KZbin channel at / traumawave
Use of my videos- My videos haves been uploaded for training purposes. Anyone may use this video in-part or whole for training purposes. If you have specific questions about the video you can contact me at [e-mail]. Stay safe!

[@commandvisionfire]

To all of the trolls that are tempted to leave disparaging comments about this video please read this. I am not perfect and the men and women that I work with are not perfect. I post these videos, good or bad, to help other professionals learn. I am fully aware of what went right and what went wrong (I was there, remember). I have had several very analytical (yet polite) conversations with fire officers from different areas of the U.S. and I continue to welcome those discussions. If you choose to leave rude comments I will leave you a nasty reply and then block you so that you cannot respond to me (It's my channel so I get the last word). So, if you have a question or comment that you think might help others learn, feel free to leave it here in the comments section. I will reply as quick as I can. Or if you want to get into a serious discussion email me. If you flame me or the people that I work with, I will shut you down. Stay safe friends.

[@commandvisionfire]

@@axelfh6710 If I had to do this over again I would definitely have ordered them to hit it from outside. I was thinking they could make it to the second floor and just hit some hot spots. Unfortunately they were a little delayed getting into the fire room due to zero visibility on the hallway and then made a wrong turn into an adjacent bedroom. Stay safe over there.

[@MrTmpinsanity]

Respect

[@melissadecrescenzo2727]

That is sad😿 🎄

[@marialittle128]

Ty fellow fireman

[@greggyd321]

I don't know anything about putting out a fire because I'm a pilot. But I will say I'm impressed. You guys stay safe! Huge respect!!

[@justinlord6194]

It's crazy how a couple minutes feels like an eternity just watching this waiting for the rigs, I can only imagine how the you and the homeowners felt. Thanks for all of these great videos, love that you engage in the constructive criticism and questions, makes for informative reading to go along with them.

[@jeffbasalto5274]

Nice stop by the FFs good job

[@greysonwright5447]

Chief thanks for the video and the video description. I like that you're okay with pointing out different methods of fire attack that may have worked better. Like you said, this would have been a great incident to implement a transitional attack. I agree, 10 second of water from the yard would have worked quite well!

[@Tundralifted]

David you are so awesome, I use these videos for learning. You have no idea how many times you’ve helped me make the right decisions. Also I’m glad your not perfect because it shows you can always learn even in a command role. Keep up the outstanding job.

[@LauRoot892]

Ramrod

[@newmanstrucking5834]

Chief Decker you and your men did an outstanding job great fire tack and fast response me as a former firefighter we took every resource we had on scene to make it safe for our men and women the communication is key in the fire service

[@DAngeloDino]

From my "Kitchen Table Command" can only see parts of this scene. That being said, the BC was calm, clear in his communication and no running or pressured speech. The first due units seemed to do the same, controlled and purposeful. They had water on the fire within 9 minutes from the time the BC rolled up. They did an excellent job of handling this fire with limited resources. Solid job.

[@elitorola6549]

I am a new member of the Fire service and I learned a lot from your video. One thing even I as a new firefighter noticed and truly commend you and your crew on....no one freelanced. Everyone showed great patience and purpose. They all had tasks, awaited orders and stuck to the game plan. I liked that a lot.

[@leonnehaaijman4709]

Thank you for all you do and also for introducing me to the term balloon frame construction. Learned something new today! ^_^

[@kentcarter835]

Notice how the fire intensified when the front door opened? Perfect example of a "flow path" being created. This video is a great tool for teaching that concept.

[@fpsproductions6073]

5:58

[@firemedic542]

I've watched this video a few times now, and I never get tired of watching it. As an aspiring lieutenant, this is one of the best training videos I've found so far. I have paused it and have practiced giving several on-scene size-up reports, and each time I find myself finding mistakes that I could improve on. We have a lot of balloon-frame construction in our city, also. Thank you for sharing this video and for being so transparent about what went well and what could've been done differently. Stay safe.

[@commandvisionfire]

I appreciate the positive feedback. I've been beat up pretty bad by the bully pulpit, deleting numerous rude comments. I think we can all agree that it doesn't always go as planned. I think it's important for everyone to see and understand that sometimes you don't hit a homerun. And that's okay, so long as the fire goes out and everyone makes it home. We'll address the deficiencies and try to do better on the next one.

[@firemedic542]

@@commandvisionfire that’s my biggest problem with the “brotherhood” in the fire service. Everyone always has a better way on how they would’ve done things. Easier said than done. The fact that you admit you should’ve considered a transitional attack not only TEACHES guys like me, but it’s also a trademark of a good leader. Just my humble opinion from a blue shirt’s perspective. If I ever get promoted, I plan on being transparent to my crew members and share the mistakes I’ve made so they can learn from them. I’ve subscribed to your channel and appreciate these real-life situations that can and will happen to any of us.

[@PJBovio]

@@commandvisionfire I guess it's to be expected that there'll always be bullies and bullshitters on KZbin. Some people's remarks are so that you can't help but wonder if they're putting you on just to get a rise out of you. 🤔

[@dfgiuy22]

How'd you go? My Capt and Lt keep pressuring me to step in to a TL role (Aussie Volunteer) and I keep pushing back saying i'm happy doing what i'm doing. I should maybe listen, but nervous about command responsibility. These videos help heaps, after as doing compartment fire training so much more makes sense. Transitional attack may have got it out quicker and limited some damage but the house was already significantly damaged. No one was inside and hosing it from the outside then going it just makes it that much harder for the crews who have to go in and people who have never done that don't understand. No one was hurt, everyone went home!

[@DAMNPROUDRETIREDFIREFIGHTER]

Chief dont let the rude people get to you as chief you do a hell of good job your department and mutal aid company's work very well together stay safe

[@aarias9]

Thanks for sharing videos. You do your best, and carry on with your job and try to offer us a great view, so all can learn. What is done is done, and at the end of the day, we can learn a lot. Thanks again!

[@ThePauperPrepper]

I am not a Fireman but have a keen interest and fairly good understanding of firefighting basics. I was overwhelmed by the excellent Fireground Control and Direction on this scene. I have watched 100 Fire Videos and nothing comes even close to this degree of excellence. You, and your crews, are to be commended. This is the first of your videos I have watched and hope there is more of this caliber. Thank you for what you do.

[@gamingthisera6339]

@@kathleenscalone1275 what?

[@Firemedic2547]

I saw this video on Statter 911 and just wanted to pass along my compliments. Excellent job.

[@retiredatlast1976]

"I missed an good opportunity to order a transitional attack when the first engine arrived. A ten second blast through the front window might have been the key to a quicker knock-down." EXACTLY SO!

[@kathleenscalone1275]

no outside fire fighting, big cities don't allow it retired battalion chief

[@johnmiddleton3003]

Would they get water on that fire if it was theirs???

[@JackMacLupus]

Well that "could" have worked, yes, but there is a risk of blowing the fire back into the building and cause even more damage.

[@gwencrawford737]

@@JackMacLupus Properly executed, a transitional attack won't cause problems. Straight stream, high angle toward the bedroom ceiling, and don't move or agitate the stream... and that fire won't do anything but get smaller with about a 10-15 second stream of water. "Knock the devil on his butt... then go in and finish him off before he gets up." Low risk-high benefit, but only if done correctly. But you're right. If the transitional attack is NOT executed properly, the stream will block that exhaust vent, and those fire gases will find a path of lesser resistance in the house. The decision to go transitional, or 'traditional', is, to me, effectively deciding whether to use a box wrench, or a socket wrench, to turn a nut. Both will work well with proper execution. And usually, neither call is 'wrong'. Either way... with the few well known exceptions related to gas leaks... water on the fire ASAP=fire gets smaller=everyone's lives get better and safer, faster.

[@nebraskaninkansas347]

Chief Decker does explain why he didn't do the transitional attack in another comment. He felt the fire was in a decay stage, but missed a couple things. He acknowledged he made a mistake and that they got lucky as the fire could have been much worse. Shows the human side of things, to error is human, walk away learning.

[@bluegrassfireproductions3029]

Outstanding on your command and communications. Strong work guys! God bless and keep it up!

[@joemusic2882]

I always read the full video description before I comment. In doing so I notice that you acknowledge that a ten second blast on the fire through the window would have helped a lot. Hats off to you for stepping up and acknowledging that.

[@commandvisionfire]

It is what it is. I'm far from perfect. We have had fires very similar to this that the crews went interior and put out without any delay or problems. Sometimes things don't always go in as planned. And this was one of those fires. So you have to ask yourself "do we go interior and hope that nothing goes wrong, or do we hit from the outside and darken it down before heading inside". With all of the information that UL and NIST is putting out, the correct answer is to darken it down from the outside so the crews can enter without the risk of getting caught in a flashover. Honestly, we got lucky on this fire. I definitely won't make that mistake again.

[@kathleenscalone1275]

don't second guess many fire dept. don't allow that. New York City in my opinion is the best in the world more fires than anyone, watch their videos and you will learn a lot.

[@Bryan-Hensley]

@@commandvisionfire I'm not up to date on the rules, but I think you did a great job. Any water through the window would have trapped the heat and maybe caught more of the unburned on fire. I think you did a great job containing water damage and spread.

[@adelefarough5123]

Kathleen Scalone: If you think your fire department is so good, why are you watching these videos? If you're watching for the sole purpose of criticizing, I would respectfully suggest that you butt out.

[@leehuff2330]

​@@commandvisionfire Those old houses are hard to predict to begin with, since there seems to be no standardization in construction like more modern homes. I speak from the standpoint of owning a 120 year old house, and dealing with many maintenance and remodeling nightmares. In addition to 15 years as a volunteer fireman.

[@MooseP148]

Of all the videos I have watched, you run a great fire ground and have better command then some with multiple chiefs. Thank you for sharing.

[@BGWtime]

You guy/girls are a huge part of this world couldn't do it without y'all

[@sarahcavanaugh572]

Thank you for your service and taken care of your town

[@knocoboc]

Thanks for the video, I am a recently promoted Captain at an on call service in a rural community in central Ontario, Canada. I can appreciate all the efforts made in saving this house ( good save) and I am certain the home owner was very greatful as well. I fully intend on using this video for training purposes with our hall. Thanks again Chief Decker and stay safe

[@erwocoolis9451]

10:50 Background: Good woman, saves the guitars first!

[@FireFiveZero]

Thanks for the video. Hello from a Australian Firefighter.

[@commandvisionfire]

You are welcome. Stay safe over there.

[@christopherd2100]

I have alot of respect for firefighters, no matter the location. Greetings from Plainfield Connecticut Usa.

[@majorsamio4949]

Did you have to deal with the wildfires a bit ago?

[@pdbordelon]

Those guys did a damn good job. Fascinating. I never realized how a lot of the fire is fought from the inside-out.

[@SuperSmurf61]

Strong work. Very professional and smooth. Thank you for sharing!

[@benpaynter]

Another great video, thanks for posting. I've said this on one of your other videos and this one is a great example of my point. Having hose reels on engines as we do in the UK just cuts so much time between arrival and water on. You can have water on within 20 seconds of arrival and can run off the tank for 5-7 mins which buys the driver time to get into the hydrant. There was a good couple of mins there where the guys were waiting for water on with the fire developing all the time. It's not in any way a criticism of anyone on scene, they were just working with the equipment they had available. It's just an observation about the merits, as I see them, of having vehicles equipped with hose reels as well as lay flat hose. Again, thanks for posting the videos, they're extremely interesting.

[@jeffploetner]

I’ve seen this comment a lot and am wondering why there is a difference in US vs UK. Why don’t US trucks have that equipment available? Or do some?

[@grammpaa]

Hose reels don't have large enough diameter hose to deliver enough water for a structure fire. Hose reels are great for grass fires but structure fires require at least 1 3/4 inch or larger hose to deliver adequate water

[@smytb]

First & Foremost- THANK YOU for what you do!!!!! The "armchair fireman" usually don't know what they are talking about!!! I am a Sailor, and on a ship, we MUST put out any fire as fast as we possibly can! I have fought a Class B engine room fire, and 6 people died. The smoke was so thick, you couldn't see 2 inches in front of your face! Some of you may have heard about the fire on the USS RANGER (CV-61) in 1983? That was the one I am talking about..... I can definitely say one thing for sure- The difference between a small fire & a large out of control fire is about TWO MINUTES!!! Thanks Again & Be Safe!!!

[@YouTube_Professor]

Sorry to hear that adopt the loss of your crew. I’m also a merchant sailor, have had a few small fires over my 28 years at sea, I hope not to see anymore. I have seen several fires where the co2 was used and it dose work, I’ll use it with out hesitation if it can’t be knocked down quickly

[@melaniebaeza7400]

Why does it take so long to get water on it? These are honest questions.. It just got alot worse before they even started. Im not trying to judge because I know nothing.. only wondering🤔

[@themightysquid]

@@melaniebaeza7400 : Just my 2 cents here, and please correct me if I’m wrong, but once the line went in the front door they would have only been on tank water. The hydrant feed was established after 2-1/2min from entry which, by then, would have depleted the tank so water had to be used sparingly until hydrant water was established for the safety of the crew. For a daytime call with limited crew they did an excellent job of kd the fire, and most importantly, everyone goes home.

[@juliannreno5580]

Thank you for posting

[@TheMaverickAcres]

Mr David Decker , you sir , are a model IC to follow. You are calm and efficient and strategically place everyone where they need to be to get the job done and go back home safely. Your guys are well trained in tactics and patience as well , to stand there without question and not just get excited about a little red stuff. I enjoy your videos and hope to see more soon , they are good for training new guys how to not get overly excited and loose track of the situation. Of course it is a little harder with volunteer departments lack of man power but if the first in did as you do here they could have mutual aid inroute quicker and staging where needed by the time they are needed for relief. Thanks again for your time and commitment to the job.

[@rljrl]

Excellent video. Very professional job.

[@waterquasar]

Scene Command was very good. This is how every fire scene should be. Keep it up.

[@gregfromtheoc]

Good video. Thank you for sharing. Incident commander clearly knew what he was doing and did a great job assigning tasks with clear, businesslike instructions. I agree that an early, quick shot of water in the fire room window from the front yard, then promptly transitioning to interior attack would have reduced the fire's extension.

[@timothysmith8300]

I am from the UK you firefighters in the US do a fantastic job with some dificult situations a big well done keep up the good job .

[@Madmac96]

As a retired police officer (and now volunteer firefighter), I thought the keyboard warriors only told cops how to do their jobs. I soon learned they love giving their unwanted, unneeded advice to the fire service also.

[@cagekicker78]

And you know a majority of them the only fire they've ever put out is a lit match.

[@myfasbro]

You too, much respect for sticking up for your guys!! After all we're all brothers and sisters in the fire service! Sometimes brothers argue! Lol! Respect from a West coast hose dragger!

[@PJBovio]

Today is Thanksgiving, and I'd like to give thanks to all the firefighters who risk their lives to save those of others and their pets. If there's a heaven, then there's a special place saved for these remarkable heroes who fight one of the world's most destructive evils.

[@benjaminodhner1175]

Independence Day and Labor Day are ALSO holidays to honor firefighters. 🇺🇸🗽

[@spudatbattleaxe]

I started watching live pd, now im getting into these ride along vids. I love watching you guys work, thanks for all you do. As a kid my favorite game in chuckecheeses was always the one where you fight the fire. Stay safe boys

[@mikelrunnels8386]

It should be illegal to cut funding to fire and ems and law enforcement cut the paychecks of the mayor and city council and commissioners by half or 75% but don't ever mess with emergency services

[@rebeccalucas6063]

Warren k Sanborn Jr. I guess Lynchburg will have to depend on volunteers. Ralph Northam needs to step in and stop this.

[@07anglia]

A men for that. Always support Fire and EMS........

[@RCmack]

Fire fighters should receive increased pay and there should be many, many, many more of them. Federal, state, and local governments always want to reduce the number of public safety officers, which is ludicrous. There needs to be many, many more public safety folks.

[@RCmack]

@@rebeccalucas6063Now, Northam needs to hire regular fire fighters in Lynchburg. He has to make Republicans forget about him supposedly wearing a KKK uniform at a Halloween party back in the '80's.

[@bjornlauret4205]

If there is no money for it it cant be paid for simple as that

[@hfd37truck]

It's nice to see the incident commander get out of his buggy, do the walk around and run the operation from the front of the structure. I see way to many commanders sitting in the comfortable buggy and not getting a good up close and personal look of what's going on. In my opinion, nice job chief!

[@claytonholt9887]

Always easy to Monday morning quarterback fire tactics and strategies. My only comment would be to transitional attack from the outside to darken down the fire and prevent extension. And the engineer should be in his bunker gear when pumping and throwing ladders. Thank you for sharing. The IC has great command presence

[@bill330]

Great videos Chief

[@adelefarough5123]

When I was in grade school, we were very thoroughly educated about fire. What to do when the fire alarm rings (specifically, close the windows of the classroom), go down the designated stairs, exit the building, and get as far from the building as possible. If it was only an alarm, we would stand outside for a couple of hours while firefighters gave us comprehensive lectures on fire. It's a shame that young people aren't getting this kind of education today.

[@mikegallant811]

Adele,just thought I would say this: when I was in High school,kids would pull false alarms so much,that first thing we tried was that shit that would stain your fingers,but they would cover their fingers with a hanky,so we switched to the alarm equipped clear covers for the pull boxes! True story!

[@moogiealways3016]

Leaning their nasty butts on the Battalion Chiefs vehicle! Blocking the camera!

[@ph11p3540]

Entire wood part of the house is a write off. The foundation is restorable. They could get a new house build on top of that foundation in as little as 8 months from design, build and possession. Good video work.

[@EightiesTV]

Yeah, it would cost about a quarter million to do a two story design/build and you'd have a house in the hood where nothing is worth more than 50k even in this crazy market today.

[@davearnold9328]

Always love your videos, Chief.

[@treefire10]

Great job command on setting the cool calm collective tone at the beginning of the incident. Also great job on the initial attack. Just remember flow path control those opening windows and doors. the fire really intensified once the door was open all the way up. leave a guy at the door to control the flow path.

[@kathleenscalone1275]

that s how it is done in professional fire departments

[@joeykse8604]

That cat @4:38 was like, PEACE, I"M OUT!!! Lmao! Glad everyone was alright though...possessions can be replaced, lives can't!

[@bethanyprice3607]

joey KsE860 😂

[@DiegoFlores-jx5rc]

Poop go has so ma la diana el ranchero mananitas so ma q,@ Rwandan

[@enochpowel3030]

All lives matter. I don't care if its a goldfish or a human

[@Lovejoyrat2]

God ballon frames move so fast. I always learn a lot from your vids. Thx for putting them out there for education chief! ❤

[@craigroberson8757]

Chief this comment comes late. Only just discovered tour channel. A forum like yours is a great way to look and evaluate. I heard it said the most difficult part of coaching football is figuring out how to adapt your defensive and offensive strategies in the middle of the game because your opponent found a way to counter the strategies that got you their. You are a great leader and very good at what you. I did ask myself about a quick attack from the ground into the primary fire source by the first engine on scene. The fires move so quickly do to balloon construction. This was just an observation , I would not presume to question the decision. You were their and had conducted the 360. Excellent teaching for all those looking grow.

[@LauRoot892]

Craig

[@mikestallings2247]

Thanks for the videos Brother. You guys are demonstrating how the American Fire Service continues to fight fire even with staffing cuts. Keep em safe.

[@commandvisionfire]

Thanks Mike. Stay safe.

[@FromGamingwithLove0456]

Have to admit purely as a spectator here I think command did a nice, steady job on this one. Called the play well given the results of his hot lap and gave arriving apparatus plenty of notice as to where he wanted them staged. 1.75 is a good call for a single room involved and I noticed the back up line of equal size was set up almost simultaneously. Like mmutk mentioned, if at all possible with current teachings of "hard from the yard" / "offensive benefit from defensive positions" I'd have had one of the two lines put 10 seconds of water into the window before opening the door. This would have bought them some time to get up the stairs even with the door propped open as it was. If you look at about the 6 minute mark they gain entry to the door. Notice the status of the fire- it's dulled down quite a bit. At 6:15 (with the door propped open) we start to see it perk up and gain intensity right up until they got water on. In this situation they follow up pretty quickly with the interior application of water and it works out for them. However it serves as an excellent example of why you need a VERY quick follow up since it only took 15 seconds for air to migrate into the involved space. Having the door closed enough just to let the hose get through and controlling it will buy time as well. This isn't a criticism at all of the responders... purely an armchair analogy- but for those out there like me who are watching this video as an exercise of applying some of the new flow path / ULC fire behavior information this is an excellent example to watch.

[@kevincasey5996]

Eno M A good sign is any FF looking at ways to imporve their Job skills. Maybe some of the vollies could learn from that if they drop their over inflated egos.

[@greyman686]

+Kevin Casey Good one coming from the non firefighter. Sack up and join a department big boy.

[@kathleenscalone1275]

yes all good fire companies use more than one line when operating at a working fire , fire rises so lines have to go above the fire also

[@michaelperkins739]

Being in the SW, and having a different order model, radio comms, strategies, etc., it would be great to always here the radio traffic to learn how things are done in the Midwest.

[@beverlyroemer5161]

Thank y’all for your service and support

[@christopheryoung8190]

Someone studied a window attack. Aparently, "hit it hard from the yard" will cool the interior and slow the growth of the fire. Follow up with the usual interior attack and overhaul and salvage.

[@donaldthomas2711]

UL and NIST actual conducted that study along with FDNY. A quick hit from the outside followed but a regular interior attack helps reduce fire size, heat and spread to improve conditions of the interior

[@kathleenscalone1275]

that is not true, push fire inside kill people trapped, that is why New York City never opens a line on outside, I worked for Chicago and same is true. Real firefighters with a lot of experience don't do that only toonerville. this is a soft spot with me Retired CFD

[@MsFiregal8]

@@kathleenscalone1275 I fully agree. Also CFD!!

[@ericmac564]

@@kathleenscalone1275 you must have retired prior to UL and NIST studies.

[@whew2you447]

Chief, did they stretch charged or uncharged? Also, how was the stretch upstairs? Either way balloon frame, you didn't lose the attic, strong work.

[@kathleenscalone1275]

most stretch dry line to floor of fire and them some, officer calls engineer to send water

[@SparkysGarage]

Hey chief! Quick question. Coming from a department with limited manpower (4 on duty with auto-aid 10-12 minutes out) would hitting that window with the deck gun or possibly a blitzfire before making entry be helpful?

[@25mfd]

i suppose you could throw the deck gun at the window, that would knock down the initial flame... but no guarantee it will hit the seat of the fire and then you still have more flame coming back again and again until crews go inside and find the fire source

[@RomanWar731]

While I am relatively new to the fire service, I think a deck gun may be a bit restrictive for an initial exterior attack through the window in this specific instance. My reasoning for this is that if you have a larger hand-line available to you (2.5"), that might prove more effective as far as an initial knock-down, especially since you can be mobile and attack from multiple angles, not just from where the truck's gun is mounted. In addition, I'd wager (though this is purely a guess) that since the fire is limited to one room at the time of arrival, a deck gun may do more harm damage-wise considering the force of the water coming from a master-stream compared to a hand-line. If anyone can elaborate or support/disprove my reasoning (any/all of it), that would be great! Just here to learn and help others. -731

[@erikterock9071]

This house was built in 1900. It's sad to see such a beautiful old building catch fire, but a great job done by all responders. Keep up the good work.

[@LauRoot892]

Terock

[@keithbesley8038]

Thanks for sharing the video, stay safe.

[@Dspalten]

No matter what you all did right or wrong.....especially given we are humans. I can’t thank you enough for all you do. You risk your lives and I feel you are under paid for all you do....in a selfish act of helping others! God bless!

[@autumnmitchell7666]

EXCELLENT job as usual. Got that fire out quick.

[@jaymesc.moreland9265]

Chief, I think that had I been in your shoes and having the information available to you that I can see from the video, I would probably have made the exact same call. I think I would probably have missed the wind driven element, and ordered the same offensive strategy you did. Had the wind not been a factor, I think your strategy would have been the best option. Hitting it from the outside would have jumbled the thermal layering/flowpath, and steamed things up inside, lowering visibility and making it more difficult for the interior guys to work. The wind made those interior conditions anyway so in hindsight an exterior attack in this case might have been a quicker knock down. Really Enjoy your videos Chief! Keep up the good work!

[@bigcummins6154]

Good job my fellow firefighters! Keeping it a room and contents !

[@rrobertsnot5150]

Great video man

[@sharonoconnelloconnell6465]

Ron Robertccvys

[@rickmcclelland5506]

David, my grandfather was a Philadelphia firefighter in the 40s before I was born. My Father was a firefighter while he was still a police officer. I have been involved with firefighting since I was 16. Screw all these armchair firefighters. It’s obvious you guys know what you’re doing. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@briankistner4331]

Chief, A question. In your videos, you seem to be always first on the scene. Department policy or do all get the alarm at the same time and its whom ever shows up first?

[@commandvisionfire]

It is random how the units arrive. I am stationed at the center part of the city, so I can usually get there first or close behind the first unit. But not always.

[@albertodillon]

Interesting to see how the American firefighters work because I am from France and l like to watch how firefighters do in different countries in the world

[@bryantdavis1988]

Chief Decker, I was wondering why L2 wasn’t assigned to vertical ventilation being the first due truck? All in all the fire was extinguished quickly with little extension especially because first due companies were out on other runs. Is vertical ventilation not a usual thing for NFD? If it is what was your thought process on them taking the addition line in (Or were they backing up the 1st due engine I couldn’t tell from the video). I’m not questioning your tactics. Just my own curiosity. Thanks.

[@commandvisionfire]

That's a good question. We are all trained a little different (you've heard there is more than one way to skin a cat). On a typical residential house fire, especially like this (2-story balloon frame) I don't send people to the roof. All of the rooms typically have 2 or 3 windows and these old houses usually have large windows (the bathroom being the exception). The horizontal ventilation via the windows is usually more than sufficient. This particular house had a steep slate roof which makes it a little riskier to put people there. The two windows that you see on the A-side gave plenty of ventilation once they started putting water on the fire. Disclaimer- I'm sure there are some departments that would usually send people to the roof in this scenario. I'm not saying they are wrong or that I am right. We just have different ideas to go about extinguishing the fire.

[@bryantdavis1988]

Fair enough. In the end, the fire was knocked down quickly and that’s what matters. I don’t know that vertically venting would have made much difference. And I agree, slate is a bitch. Thank’s for the input!

[@QJONEZOFFICIAL]

great footage

[@Barefoot0Walker]

very nicely shot. as has been stated, it was unfortunate that the initial attack did not come through the window, but they saved most of the house anyway.

[@gsallison1]

looks like when that tar paper and roofing catch fire, then that area is quite hard to extinguish. Looks like the FD did pretty good

[@LauRoot892]

Jerry 😂

[@myfasbro]

Enough said, keep posting the great videos as they are great learning tool.

[@commandvisionfire]

+Julio Montero Stay safe. The job isn't getting any easier.

[@tewksburydriver8624]

I'm in my 23rd year in the Fire Service, Lieutenant Company Officer currently. I see a well coordinated fire attack here. There are always things we look back on from every fire and major incident. What are some things that you would have done different?

[@JaredPhillipsMusic]

Great command and communication. Good for the first-arriving engine to pull past the residence and leave room for the ladder. Only thing I would have changed is getting water on the fire quicker. Seems like they were in the door quickly. but it took several minutes (and the fire growing faster once the door was open) before it was knocked-down. Blasting it through the window for a few seconds upon arrival would have really slowed it down, and then they could go inside and finish up. However, I wasn't there, so I don't know what kind of obstacles they may have encountered inside. I don't like reading comments that just negatively critique other FD's work especially when it seems to run as great as this department does. All in all, good job Newark!

[@kevincasey5996]

Jared Phillips I agree. I'm of the "There HAS to be a better way" train of thought. It looked almost like they was allowing the fire to get worse. That said at least it was contained to one room & the attic space above it.

[@pipesmoker4238]

+Jared Phillips That was my thought also. Evan a small booster line until the 1.5 inch is charged. I was concerned that the fire was breaking through into another room and/or attic. Once the line was charged it was knocked down quickly. This is an excellent video and also the radio traffic was clear and easy to follow. The Officer in charge stayed calm.

[@Minimadness13]

Definitely could have hit it from the exterior and reduced a lot of the growth several minutes before they got the actual knock on the fire.

[@brandonwilson4281]

Jared Phillips 🔥

[@williamlumpkin7189]

DOOR CONTROL! Don't sit there with the door open, the fire grow very fast once the door opened

[@serpicochihuahua]

Well done to you and your crews Chief. Excellent command presence. I appreciate these videos, keep them coming.

[@GunSlinger221]

Solid comms Chief, I have watched all your videos. Are there anymore on you tube like yours? If there are I cannot find them. Thanks for posting these, real solid work.

[@dorothydromgoole8040]

Everytime I see one of these house fires I hope that everyone got out okay and that no first responders got hurt. Love from Marysville, California KMG 365

[@ruiutomy1]

A perfect sample of how a fire should be attacked. They did not walk around destroying windows and walls, they just went straight to the point. Salute from another corner of the world.

[@Trojanny]

Yes, David, your filmography is really good, often.

[@johnspentler171]

Can somebody please explain what each of the trucks do and how they’re set up? I have no idea what I’m seeing.

[@straytrons3450]

This video is a great example of the burn characteristics of older Type V wood construction as compared to new pre-engineered light weight construction found in most developments built in the last decade. This appears to have remained a 'room and contents' for some time. Despite the fire self venting from the window prior to BC's arrival, the view provided does seem to indicate it was ventilation limited. While the fire did manage to escape the room of origin and extend to to the cockloft it was a slow moving event. A Type III new construction using light weigh pre-engineered materials and 'fast build' methods would likely have been a faster fire extension, with greater involvement of the second floor and cockloft, there would also be potential collapse of the roof structure to consider in a gusseted truss roof structure. Chief Decker, well handled job. I especially like that you think about positions of engine and truck companies, to give the ladder a good spot.

[@frankgrimesification]

This is one of the most professional departments I've ever seen in my many years as an armchair fireman.

[@MsFiregal8]

Chief Decker, thank you for posting this so we could learn from your actions! You are not only a skilled firefighter and officer but man enough to share both good and bad!! Any information regarding the cause?. Thank you, again!!

[@commandvisionfire]

If I remember correctly this was undetermined. Possibly electrical.

[@tewksburydriver8624]

Mice with matches

[@abrown2004]

Why not get water through the window in first minute of arrival whilst crews were preparing to enter??

[@commandvisionfire]

Trust me, if I had to do it all over again we would have done that. I wasn't anticipating the problems that delayed getting water on the fire.

[@commandvisionfire]

@@dalemulholland4469 Thank you for that enlightening comment. You just got yourself blocked, forever!

[@rawexplorer8373]

@@commandvisionfire I noticed a lot of firefighting operations wait quite a while before hosing water into the fire. Why is that?

[@cjritchie9701]

You never put water on the fire exterior when you have a crew inside. First crew went interior for an aggressive attack. Takes time to advance to the second floor witch also looks to have at least 2 corners to the fire room.

[@Koellenburg]

thank you for sharing Sir , .. that was very interesting to watch. ... Flashover in that Room is at 6:10 right?

[@scotts2223]

Battalion Chief David Decker I have been watching your videos for almost a year now. The first time I saw one of your videos I was taken in and have been hooked ever since. I have watched some several times over. I know you are doing the best you can, that's all we can do, but your videos are educational in all different ways. I have and still learn new things all the time. I have been a volunteer fireman for almost four years now in Winslow, Ne. I drive a 2500gal tender. Anyway or anything that I can learn from I study it. 1 weekend a summer we go to fire school and you would be a great teacher to have class with. Keep up the good work with your videos because it has made a difference in my skills. The trolls will always be out there, it's so easy to point fingers and say wrong. After calls my chief will point out what I did wrong not to scold or reprimand but to discuss and teach. stay safe and make it home. Volunteer First Responder Scott Shipman

[@LauRoot892]

Scott 👋

[@texask9110]

Why only 1 truck and 2 engines on a box alarm? You can always turn the 2nd truck and 3rd engine arround if you arrive with nothing showing. Down here in Tx almost every agency sends 3 engines, 2 trucks, a rescue (Ambulance) and 2 batt chiefs...A high rise box gets double that.

[@commandvisionfire]

This assignment was a 3 & 1 assignment. 3 engines, 1 ladder, 1 medic and a BC. The working fire brings 2 additional engines and additional medic.

[@kathleenscalone1275]

this is the response of that city, not a lot of apparatus

[@nebraskaninkansas347]

Every jurisdiction is different. I know the city where I live they have a standard response they call a 1-11 fire. That is the first alarm and brings one engine, one ladder, one ambulance, and the fire chief. This page also recalls volunteers and other off duty shifts and rural fire fighters to the stations to help in coverage as well as be ready incase more equipment or man power is needed.

[@stephanielake71]

I'm guessing 1 or 2 of the people standing around...is the owners ? Hope everyone made it out safe. You have to be very brave to be a fire fighter ❤

[@jackdrakesr9461]

I thank you guys are the beauty grand daughter wants to be a,fire,person she lives close to station 3 and she let's me know when we are goin past it so keep up the good work

[@madilynneuphold5394]

My friend lived here, I stayed at this house multiple times

[@discmotoslots]

yeah sure sweetheart! so how did the fire start?

[@markvanderfeyst9785]

We would like to use this video for a PPT program that we are presenting for Fire Engineering next week. Can we receive your approval to use it?

[@commandvisionfire]

You are welcome to use use this video for training purposes.

[@markvanderfeyst9785]

Thank you. Fire Engineering is filming us presenting our program called the First Five Minutes and this video will be trimmed downed to reflect a 10 sec arrival window for the first arriving truck to help with making a size up, a radio report and setting the tactics to use.

[@deckgun31]

Not every department trains/performs using the most current tactics and strategy. It takes time to share the information, let alone receive, adopt, train and implement the plan. Aside from what appears to be a "slow" introduction of a crew through the front door, this incident was well controlled, and the plan was well executed. The fire went out and there were no reported injuries/fatalities. Good job to Chief Decker and his crews! This video makes a great training tape.

[@meadowpus]

Ok so it wasnt the fastest but these guys put their lives in danger to save lives and property so i understand them weighing up their options.

[@bethmurphy2300]

It would be interesting to know what the causes were determined to be. As a retired emergency medical dispatcher I love to watch these and your strategies. Ignore the trolls. They have no idea what they are talking about. Keep up the good work!!

[@rosa78400]

hasta que no arda toda la casa,ellos esperan para conectar las mangueras.

[@hopester0217]

David, as 1st officer on scene, were you tempted to do a quick primary search or were you told unnocupied. What was your reasoning. Thank you Great Videos.

[@commandvisionfire]

Immediately after arriving I made contact with the occupants who informed me that everyone was out of the house.

[@hopester0217]

@@commandvisionfire Thanks brother. 👍

[@happyguy4985]

I like watching vids from diff countries. the methods used vary. in Aust we have a first aid line to attack within 30secs on arrival or roll out a 38mm line within a minute.

[@kathleenscalone1275]

Chicago did have a high pressure fog rig that responded to all still alarm of fires, two men operated it, hit many fires before still companies arrived, but all fog pressure rigs self destroyed because of the amount of fires. Remember Europe does not have as much fires as the U.S

[@nicholasceea4109]

Great channel you have here Chief, as it doesn't cause my BP to spike like most other videos. I know it's not your job but I would have been sooooo tempted to run in there with a can. I'm curious, why does your MDT or whatever always make that annoying Windows error noise?

[@commandvisionfire]

I know exactly what you are saying. Trust me, on fires like this I am tempted to go in and solo the fire. But if there is nobody in there it's just not worth it. The first crew in said there was zero visibility at the top of the steps. As far as the Windows sounds, that is Tiburon, our MDT software. Each time the dispatcher updates information or a unit signals en route or on scene, it plays a specific sound. I guess I'm just use to it.

[@rumonchow3431]

Ruthba said he was going to do a lot of things 👩🏼‍🏫😭😍🥳☠️👾🤝👎🏽💄👨🏽‍🦰

[@machia-mw1lm]

Hello from Newark , NJ.

[@kathleenscalone1275]

born in Newark NJ tough fire department follows new York city firefighting

[@jasontipton1987]

Chief Decker, as a former Firefighter/EMT, in Southern Ohio, I'm just curious as to why Engine 541 didn't attack from the outside and Ladder 2 make entry once the fire, that had been contained to the one bedroom upon BN1 and Engine 541's arrival, was knocked back? It seems to me, as a viewer, that it took too long for water to hit the fire and that allowed the fire to spread into the attack/roof. Again, not criticizing...just asking.

[@commandvisionfire]

Jason, it did take way too long to get water on the fire. I accept the responsibility for that. So here is what happened; When I arrived, I was under the impression that this fire was in the decay stage. I wasn't seeing much fire, so I was thinking that a mattress lit off and there was much left to burn in that room. I figured it was a matter of going upstairs with an attack line and hitting some hot spots. What I failed to recognize is that there was very little smoke coming out of the window that had self-vented. That is because that window was on the windward side and all the smoke was pushing into the hallway. When E-541 arrived, they advanced the line to the top of the steps. During the tailboard critique, they informed me that they had zero visibility at the top of the steps. The nozzleman was new and blindly advanced down the hallway and ended up past the fire room and was in the rear bedroom. His officer (with a TIC) had to get him turned around in heading back in the right direction. Once they found the fire room (now rocking and couldn’t miss) they got a knock on it. We got lucky on this fire. This could have ended up in a flashover of the hallway and getting several guys injured. I’ve learned quite a bit from this fire. Never assume a fire is going to go as planned. Pay attention to the smoke. Anticipate rapid growth. Always run a back-up line to cover the primary line, and the list goes on. If you read through the comments you will find lots and lots of discussion (this is my most commented on video). Numerous fire instructors have used this video at various trainings and I good with that. I hope it keeps somebody from getting hurt. So, if I had to do this all over again, hell yes, we would hit it from the yard before we advance in. The last thing I want to do is get someone hurt. However, it has made for a great training video for transitional attack. Thanks for keeping it respectable, and stay safe. David

[@Mark40930]

@@commandvisionfire thanks for sharing and for the info, stay safe!

[@commandvisionfire]

@@Mark40930 You're welcome. You stay safe too.

[@nebraskaninkansas347]

I was trying to also figure out if the window next door could have also been providing an inlet as well for air. The smoke kind if seemed to push out and get sucked back in. Not sure if it could have been the wind or maybe the fire trying to suck air in there. The fire seemed to gain some energy once that window was having smoke come out. I don't think it was the act of the fire fighters opening the door that accelerated the fire. NIST showed usually a two minute gap between opening a door and the fire gaining strength when its in the decay stage creating the bidirectional flow path. Of course not knowing the floor plan or if doors were closed or not, makes this pure speculation on my part.

[@zeldarepsher3164]

@@commandvisionfire great job at the videos of fires or accidents that you come across because my husband Casey Repsher and I watch you a lot on KZbin

[@ArchTeryx00]

To the trolls: Don't flame a firefighter. They have rather large hoses. Just sayin'. ^.^ From the perspective of a non-firefighter (though coming from a family of them) your videos are very, very informative. I'm a science-fiction writer and doing research on a story I'm working on about a team of firefighters, and watching you and your crew in action is fascinating to say the least. One of the nuances (and an extremely important, life-or-death one) that I watch these videos to learn is how the call is made to do an inside or outside attack on a fire. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I assume there are a *lot* of factors (and a lot of experience) that goes into that decision, because going inside on a working fire is by definition risking crew. I think you did a fantastic job. What a lot of armchair firefighters fail to realize is that houses are made of flammable materials for the most part, and house fires spread very, *very* quickly. A building can go from initial ignition to fully involved in 5-6 minutes. And they get too much Hollywood. Firefighters don't rush helter-skelter into a burning building. They have to plan, stage equipment, establish supply and attack lines, do search and rescue if necessary. And protection of one's own crew, and the public, comes before property. Thank you for sharing these videos.

[@brandonwilson4281]

💡🤙🚔🔥🌪️👩‍🚒🧛🚬🇺🇸

[@aarias9]

You are a good fire manager!

[@firetoy911]

out of curiosity does your department operate off of a tactical sop or are assignments made based off of the IC tactics? also do you work off a checklist? I might have missed if dispatch provided a progress reminder to trigger relief crew deployment and wasn't sure if the IC had a tablet or something monitoring time, temperature and cylinder pressures on the interior scbas. we are just now starting to use technology and I'm waiting to see if it is helpful in managing an incident or at least equivalent to check lists.

[@kathleenscalone1275]

come on, his is how all busy fire departments operate. firefighting is a labor's job, coal mine work not CEO work

[@SuperDiesel71]

good job chief! no excitement!

[@danielbonilla9820]

Chumash how! Letcha