2 Newark Firefighters Die on Grimaldi Lines Grande Costa D'Avorio | Marine vs Shore Firefighting

[@fortressanfield4049]

You are absolutely right, I’ve worked on those Grimaldi vessels at the port of Baltimore, they try to maximize every inch of space on those ships with absolute junk, I couldn’t imagine a fire on one, my thoughts go out to the firefighters friends and family.

[@suzukiman1000]

As a retired Newark firefighter, everything you said, was absolutely on point. In my 25 years I had ONE class on ship fires. None of my brothers should have been ordered to go in. PERIOD‼️

[@wildmike951]

I am also a retired Newark Fire fighter. I actually had that same class. I remember that the instructor told us that basically a Ship Fire is like a 100 story high rise laying on its side. Our brothers should have never been put in this situation. This man Sal is 100% correct. Our men were put into a very bad place.

[@teduhlin8246]

Soo sorry for your loss

[@Machia52612]

The NFD Is not the Department it once was. Diversity crap more important than training, manpower and apparatus. Even the maintenance shop is garbage now. And where the hell was the Newark Fire Boat?

[@suzukiman1000]

@@wildmike951 Mike this is your one and only brotha from another mother "Rock". I just can't get past that no one used any COMMON SENSE 🥺‼️

[@wildmike951]

@suzukiman1000 you are right my brother. I heard that our fireboat didn't start that day either. We always said that the city squeaked by with manpower, training, fixing equipment, etc. Well it finally caught up to them. At a huge cost. 2 of our brothers died and it should have never happened.

[@bigdmac33]

I admire you for your bold approach to this tragedy. It is rare and refreshing to hear such publically-stated forthright, frank and unreserved comments, especially about the ship owners. More power to you, sir.

[@thomasharkless4605]

Sal you are correct. Fire fighting on ships is a completely different skill set. I did my time on submarines and fires are completely different. I talked to a lot of firefighters after I got out and we approach fighting the fire completely differently. Also helps if you know the ship you are on while fighting the fire. Confined spaces, flammable material in every compartment and vision obscured. We always sent 2 hoses in. 1 to fight the fire and the 2nd one to keep the crew of the first hose alive.

[@thatguy7085]

Yep, and far more dangerous. You need specialized training for ship board fire fighting. Use to have to re-qualify every six months in the Navy, and drill continuously.

[@johnbrossack3791]

@@thatguy7085 A friend of mine went to Navy JAG after she graduated from law school and passed the bar. She had to go to a Navy school for professionals, lawyers, doctors etc. One of the things that they HAD to pass, was fire-fighting school, no exceptions. She said it was one of the scariest things she ever did. But, EVERYONE in the Navy had to do it.

[@edward9674]

What are the differences? If you are allowed to tell that is.

[@andrewcharlton4053]

​@@edward9674the heat is magnified since it has nowhere to go, the ground and walls are all metal so they become super hot, to the point of melting, ventilation is a huge issue and the fire can spread rapidly through ducts and cable trunking out of sight. I'm sure there's others who can add more but those are some basics

[@thomasharkless4605]

@@edward9674 Every compartment is a confined space until you clear that department. Not only is the heat magnified as Andrew stated, but the smoke is also. You are either in a EAB (emergency air breathing) mask of you are wearing SBA, (Self contained breathing aparatis) this is what it was when I was in, my son tells me that has change, a better device. You have 2 hoses. #1 high velocity, it puts the fire out. #2 low velocity fog. As #2 you job is to keep #1 alive to fight the fire. Now in most ships you are in very tight quarter, you can't see shit. For me on submarines, I was also underwater with no immediate way out. You will put the fire out!!. By water the engine room is trying to pump the water out faster than you are pouring the flames. Not fun. Boot camp fire fighting training was they put you in a room. Lit the fire which surrounds you. They only way out is to put the fire out.

[@campbellpaul]

Wow.. You have every right to be upset, Sal! What a horrible, needless tragedy this was.. Thank you for thoroughly covering this!

[@raylopez99]

I see a wrongful death lawsuit...and the only question is damages.

[@Ezekiel903]

yes, a truly shocking story! R.I.P. to the firefighters

[@Ivc406]

Sal,you hit the proverbial nail on the head, condolences to the two fire fighters, 🙏

[@biscuitag97]

As someone who worked on car ferries, and lives in NJ. Unfortunately, Newark does not get the resources that surrounding area, ie NYC gets. Port authority really should have specialty marine firefighting units. You definitely have great insight into the operation. I like that you are realistic about how the boat is loaded and maintained. Hoping that things change and this doesn’t happen again.

[@phuturephunk]

Wait wait, hold up. You're telling me the port that trades blows with Los Angeles/Long Beach for the top spot by TEU volume. One of the oldest most developed ports in the country, does not have a marine firefighting unit under the purview of the multi state authority that governs said port? Color me genuinely surprised.

[@randallreed9048]

But the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey gets resources from both states! Is the issue a matter of budget or one of outmoded policies and training?

[@paulf3]

Port authority certainly has the budget.

[@Veldtian1]

@@paulf3 But you know, in Jersey da Union dues are expensive, Tony and the crew take their cut from da budget no matta what.

[@AC-jk8wq]

Thanks for sharing your experience Sal! Prayers for the lost fire fighters…

[@scottn7cy]

Sal you are always very reserved with your comments and opinions. For you to say what you did about Grimaldi you must feel their safety failings are extreme.

[@wgowshipping]

gcaptain.com/flames-engulf-grimaldi-ferry-euroferry-olympia/

[@themuscle79BONIFACIO]

Crimaldi lines,they're having so many fires on their ships ,their gargoes ships past they life time,GRIMALDI sucks!

[@bas6983]

Thats the problem withe the operation Grimaldi performs. Mostly second hand cars and trucks for africa. Fire on a car deck is extremely difficult to extinguish.

[@ADHJkvsNgsMBbTQe]

The best way to honor the fallen is to make sure the lessons are learned. RIP.

[@firemarshal17]

I served on the aircraft carrier USS Ranger during Vietnam. We had fires almost daily. Some were serious. I’m also a retired firefighter. So, I too know the difference between the challenges presented on land and at sea. I’m frankly stunned that the fire department didn’t train on shipboard firefighting techniques. These lives may not have been lost if the Chief had done his job!

[@mcsmith732]

Perhaps, but did the chief have access to the time, tools, tech and expertise to train people in this unique aspect of firefighting?

[@firemarshal17]

@@mcsmith732 If he didn’t, he should have call specialized teams for mutual aid instead of sacrificing his men.

[@steveurbach3093]

I was on Chicago (CG-11) when Forrestal had its flight deck fire. Almost immediately, many of us were sent to Fire Fighting school.

[@1582len]

@@firemarshal17. I'm certain it wasn't the chiefs intention to sacrifice anyone. I was listening to this call from pretty early on, and when the maydays were called they started calling rescue units and specialized tactical rescue units from all departments all around the state including New York City.

[@kevin1208424]

You have no idea of the jurisdictional issues with the Port Authority of NY/NJ. They are a power hungry agency that would never allow an outside agency to train on their property. The PA NY/NJ will insist they can handle any emergency on their property…until they can’t…then they call for help after a significant delay.

[@mcsmith732]

One reason I really like this channel is because of all of Sal's expertise; and his research talent, his ability to winnow out the irrelevant and articulate the important stuff in a way that the uninitiated and uninformed (like myself) can understand. I don't know anything about shipping, or ships, or being a sailor, but I've learned enough to find what Sal has to teach very interesting. And I'm grateful for it. So. Thank you for this channel.

[@kennyFF033]

It takes a special kind of crazy to be a fire fighter, and to each and every one; I want to say thank you! You are loved! Prayers, thoughts and my deepest condolences for the two lost, their families and friends. God Bless and BE SAFE!

[@maryklock9274]

Thank you for making very clear the requisite training and respect for all shipboard fires. The need is, sadly, obvious. Prayers and love to the families and all of the brothers and sisters of the fallen.

[@micahelclarke9241]

Sal, As a current Fire Chief for General Dynamics , Bath Iron Works in Maine I appreciate your insight and commentary to this tragic and heart breaking event. Like you, I have a Mariner background, and retired from a City Fire Department, prior to my digging in my Ship Firefighter/Chief career. You are 100% on point with the differences between Ship and Structure. I focused my first 8 months in my second career developing my strategies, tactics,trainings and dug deep into the manufacturing process of two types of ships. Training was with those that know the craft, attending the Port Authority of Virginia Maritime Firefighting School and the Maritime Command School. The network developed from those two schools allows for some great opportunities. All of our department members attend at least the Virginia Port Authority School. The company support all of our efforts to be prepared, and also understands the training never ends, at all levels! My experience with Maritime is only ten years following my 27 as a structural and USAR firefighter, but the training is the key 110%. Brothers and Sisters, stay safe and if you are responding to the maritime world, get the training! Very respectfully, Mike Clarke

[@timothyconley9236]

I’ve watched the interview with the Chief and Mayor. I served in the US Navy on submarines and served as volunteer fire fighter. As you stated correctly, shipboard fighting is drastically more difficult and commercial vessels are understaffed and firefighting tactics are basic before punching the run away button. Very sad that members were lost.

[@jamesgreer5116]

It happens way, way, way too often in the first responder world. Somehow, we have enough money for lavish all-hands funerals, but training and preparing for known risks and ops? Sir, you went on for 24 minutes. I could have listened for 24 hours. Great stuff. RIP to the fallen - we owe them.

[@corneliuswells182]

Well said sir. I’m former Navy and a 20yr Rural Vol. Firefighter, everything you said was spot on. Keep up the strong work.

[@CUBANASO82]

You’re a friggin boss. Two members from my department were luckily only hurt. Two lives were lost for a few CARS. Thoughts and prayers to all involved and affected.

[@bc-guy852]

Thank you for this heartfelt episode Sal. My condolences to the families of those brave firefighters and all those affected. It's easy to see how emotionally invested you are in this - especially the fact that it was likely needless in view of the way the fire was attacked and the circumstances of the load. A tragedy. Thank you so much for your valued input and wealth of experience.

[@MrTconquest]

I appreciate you sharing your extensive experience, I have learnt a lot about this type of ship. Such a dangerous job and condolences to the officers families and workmates.

[@dfgiuy22]

Volunteer firefighter in Australia. The way you described it was perfect. The amount of fuel contained, it being a steel structure, it being open and unsealable as well as such a restricted space. Man I am keen to go and help, that would have been a craphole inside. Your brigade is lucky to have you as Capt Sir! Thanks for the heads up. Lastly an aside, i figured out a 64mm 2 1/2" line is not the same as rain for a river boat! Sounds stupid I know. I figured it rained on the boat, so in training I was on the nozzle by myself. Next thing I did was start to 'squirt' water on to the top of the riverboat. She started listing very quick, i turned the branch back to the river and never did that again! She righted, no one was in it but damn. Learning moment of stupidity!

[@kevincook1018]

Great content! Towards the end of a long career at NAVSEA I became familiar with shipboard firefighting doctrine and research. As you may recall, in 2008 the Navy lost the $350M Advanced Seal Delivery Vehicle to a lithium battery fire. Many programs wanted to deploy large lithium batteries on ships and submarines to power UUVs and weapons. My admiral tasked me with starting a lithium battery safety program for the Navy. It also included fuel cells and other exotic energy storage. The new certification program dealt with battery design, testing, as well as firefighting.

[@HEDGE1011]

Thank you for your service and comment. This is not my field of expertise, but I’m wondering what your recommendations would be to make the fire hazard (especially Li vehicle fires) less on ships? Thanks again.

[@tonydeleo3642]

The loss of a brother or sister firefighter goes straight to your heart. I do not cry anymore, I have been away from active front line service too long. When they finally find the cause of the fire and the negligence on the part of the ship owner, the company shoild be sued and the proceeds given to the families of the fallen. Thank you for this video!! Tony De Leo, vol. firefighter/EMT and paid Chief

[@brianfarrington3174]

Sal after being a regular viewer for about 1 year now your dedication to ship safety clearly rings thru , yor commitment to todays story well said truthful an no holds barred to the subject has just made me a subscriber . Job well done

[@stevenaune2837]

Never Give Up The Ship! I got my start as a US Navy Damage Controlman. Glad to hear your background.

[@bakerbill4274]

In the commercial world, we only fight the fire if we're at sea. In port, we evacuate and let the professional firefighters do their job. What we all know and they didn't (apparently), is that there is nothing on that vessel that is worth your life.

[@BrianFullerton]

Kind of hard to not give up the ship if your other moto (like on the Bonhome Richard) is "I have not yet begun to fight...the fire".

[@JoeEasternShore]

Thank you for the in-depth review of the fire. Two lives were lost for no good reason. A top to bottom review of procedures is needed.

[@rickharrington3540]

You nailed it, my brother. I spent 30 years on the water and fifteen years as a volunteer in a rural community and am astonished that major ports are not better prepared.

[@randallreed9048]

My family moved to Charleston SC the day after the Charleston 9 firefighters died in the Sofa Superstore fire in June 2007. Training, procedures, and policy issues came into question when national fire organizations did their analysis. Besides deadly violations of the fire codes in that building, they concluded that the CFD was decades behind the curve in those three areas and were evidently simply out of date with policies that were commonplace elsewhere. The fire chief vehemently defended his department, but quietly retired at the end of that year. In my mind, having worked with FEMA and the National Fire Academy on various training and simulation projects, maintaining currency and keeping training, procedures, and policy up-to-date is a time-, talent-, and resource-draining activity that is sensitive to budget and personnel limitations. It is a constant struggle to maintain currency. I believe that you are correct in your initial assessment of this tragedy. Having lost a friend who died heroically trying to save residents in an apartment fire, I get the same tightening in my gut that you described whenever I see firefighters dying in the line of duty. This is my first exposure to your videos, but it will not be my last. Thank you for your superb commentary.

[@BamaCyn]

Sal, as a firefighter Mom and Mawmaw this breaks my heart. I will be forwarding this to them. My heart goes out to you and all your brothers. Prayers for comfort, peace and to the families of these brave men who gave their all.🙏❤️🖤❤️🙏

[@captaincoincollector]

@wgowshipping I am on my ship right now in Anch 27 near sandy hook. Last night I heard the call the Grimaldi ship made to the coast guard “fire onboard.” Several coast guard stations caught wind of the distress before the station was full of chatter. Thanks for the information and update about this maritime tragedy. Devestating to know the costs of this fire.

[@arboclimber]

When I done my training in the 80s I did a separate offshore fire fighting course and in the UK we where told back then that ship fires where of the worst nature, due to so many variables that counter what we fight on shore. May the two lost Fire fighters rest in peace my prayers are with the crews and families.

[@tedprickett8122]

I loved hearing about your history and how it applied! It made make more sense to me. Praying for the fam of Newark and the fire fighters. Please do a series or another video on how to fight ship board fires. Both at sea, which sounds daunting, and in port and how they differ from a house fire? It’s a unique interesting subject

[@VJJBodhi]

Thank you for doing this video. My husband was good friends with Wayne and I’ve had the same questions all day as you. It’s good to have your take on this one. So sad. This is what I needed to see today. Been watching your videos since you were at 5K subs. Thank you.

[@TC01757]

Thanks for your unvarnished, expert analysis, Sal. Most salient thing for me was the perfectly clear, graphic description of the problems maneuvering about the decks. Absolutely right that FFs not familiar with the situation should not have been sent in, with limited air, where no live safety was at risk. Proper respect for the bravery of all involved and for the sacrifice of those who were lost and their families. Peace.

[@robertrainey5307]

Sal. Great evaluation of this tragic fire. As 50-year firefighter, including 30 years with the FDNY you are dead on 100% in all of what you said. I was trained in the U.S. Navy in shipboard firefighting at U.S. Naval Station Jacksonville/Mayport and during my time in the FDNY I had 2 major fires involving ships. I have therefore some real and practical knowledge of firefighting in the Maritime Envoiment. But the most important point you make is dead right. "Risk Alot to save a lot, Risk little to save little." After the crew of the Gande Costa D'Avorio was accounted for the firefighters were the ONLY life hazard. On tactics. When I was a lieutenant and latter a captain in the FDNY on the west side of Manhattan we trained to deal with Cruise Ships docked along the Hudson River Piers. As you stated, we trained to not use the ships firefighting systems but our own. Hose manifolds supplied by large diameter hose, that was in turn supplied by Fireboats or large capacity land bases hose and pumping systemswater

[@thazen783]

Appreciate your input and expertise. I was listening to the scanner as the events unfolded with this fire. It was chaotic to say the least. To me it didn't seem like a marine fireboat didn't arrive on scene for a couple of hours. I also recalled hearing that non of the ladder trucks could reach the top of the ship. It was a tragedy all around. My heart goes out to the families, friends and colleagues of those that perished.

[@wgowshipping]

Firefighter II did not arrive on scene until 5 AM this morning, that is 8 hours after the fire started. This should have been part of the initial dispatch.

[@kentvesser9484]

Seems to be a recurring theme that ships are being built for which port authorities are not equipped to deal with in an emergency. Tugs that are too small to effectively move a ship. Having to jury rig a way to take containers off a ship with a crane on a barge that can barely reach the top of the container stack safely. A port the size of Newark not having a dedicated marine firefighting unit that is paid for by berthing fees rather than the township. The ships get bigger too fast, so even if the port authority or local city buys a bigger truck or some specialized piece of equipment they probably haven't paid off the bonds before it is made obsolete. Then the port authority won't ban a ship too big for them to handle with their safety equipment as they will lose the berthing fees and freight will go to some other port, idling local warehouses, drivers, longshoremen, etc.

[@kentvesser9484]

@@wgowshipping Kind of understandable in some ways that a piece of equipment from New York might have been delayed being dispatched to New Jersey. The boat could have been tied up with some other emergency in New York until morning, or it could be that one time New York sent their boat and then Jersey didn't pay them back for sending it or dragged their feet on paying, so now they don't send it until someone with the proper authority faxes over confirmation that they will pay and are officially asking for the assistance. And that maybe wastes precious hours calling around to the people who have authority to make that decision.

[@nicolad8822]

@@kentvesser9484They are literally within sight of each other?

[@HighwayLand]

@nicolad8822 I live out here in Oregon and we have departments that have no kind of mutual Aid agreements at all! We still have private fire departments out here for crying out loud!

[@PetesGuide]

This is not a long video. It is especially not a long video that you need to apologize for. And I learned a lot!

[@wgowshipping]

Thanks Pete.

[@warrenjones744]

Wow what a report Sal! I have loaded and unloaded RoRo ships when I was in the military. Holy cow they are a complex array of decks, ramps and compartments. I was surprised the first time I saw the the adjustable decks. Once loaded, there was no room to walk between machinery and vehicles. It was amazing how much stuff you could pack in one. Fighting a fire in one? It was never a thought back at that time. After your report, I now can really appreciate the difficulty in that task.

[@bentley4446]

Thanks Sal nice video. My BIL retired from the Newark FD last year as a DC. Sad day 🙏

[@kkelly9424]

Sal, you have given me and anyone else who viewed this video a real education. I had no idea about the kind of issues and dangers involved. I hope that your advocacy is rewarded.

[@darrellyoung9586]

Sal, you did a very good job of explaining the difference between land fire fighting and shipboard fire fighting. As a 50 veteran of the US Merchant Marine, including a few years at MSC, I am well versed in shipboard fires. It was while I was a 3/Mate on a MSC tanker, that we had an explosion and fire while at the Naval base in the port of Sasebo, Japan. It was in the middle of the night. As the young mate, I jumped into action, organizing the fire fighting. When the shoreside fire fighters showed up I told them to stay on the dock. I will not go into the whole story, but needless to say they did not listen to me. When the second explosion hit, it put 5 of the shoreside firemen in the hospital. None of them died, but I lost 5 of my crew. Every port should have a team of dedicated firemen who are trained to fight shipboard fires.

[@ZSG92]

I was there today, I’m a longshoreman I was suppose to work a car ship at the berth 25 which is right across from berth 18 where that ship was. Was smoking all night and day terribly sad what happened. they canceled our work after we got there still fighting they fire 24 hours later… they should of let it burn it was a junk car ship and no lives were at stake.. your video is very informative for those who never been down at the port

[@5thribroarn304]

Thank you Sal. Deepest Sympathies for the Families, Friends and Co-workers of the very brave Firefighters who lost their lives in this tragedy.

[@markstice8599]

As a retired safety guy who spent time in many of the West Coast ports and time on car ships, I find your description of the vessel very accurate. Until you see it with your own eyes, it is hard to imagine the physical conditions. With the steel decks, overheads, and bulkheads, the cargo decks are just a big oven. The fuel loading had to be extreme. As soon as I heard ship fire last night, my alarms went off and I could not imagine the fire fighters getting the upper hand. Your description of loading being the Indy 500 is totally accurate. I have seen cars wrecked into the deck structures due to high speeds. These are typically just left in place and the stevedores just hustle to the next vehicle, jump in, and drive it off. These cars are not treated well for sure. There is fuel in the tanks (obviously -- they drive them on and off) and batteries remain connected. A final comment on the sprinkler system. I know in buildings the sprinkler system is designed to provide water to a limited number of sprinkler heads at one time. I recall it is usually 3. A system can be overwhelmed. I also am assuming that the Chief Engineer had the pumps in operable condition upon arrival in port in anticipation of an inspection by the Port Authority. Or would I be wrong on that. Questions Questions. This is going to be an interesting one to follow.

[@samueladams3746]

I have no idea what the specs are for marine systems. Properly designed building systems are usually spec’d to the anticipated fire load in terms of flow rates and number of heads that will be supported off fire pump or gravity tank capacity. Problem is when buildings change occupancy and old systems are not brought to code for current usage and potential fire load.

[@thoughtful_criticiser]

I was a volunteer firefighter in a land locked county but our adjacent county had ports. We trained once a year on fighting fire on a ship. If no persons are in need of rescue, we were taught to snuff out of fire without massive volumes of water. In a ship like this we would not enter. We would set up strategic access points to the fire decks and seal them, this allowed us to fill the spaces with hi-ex foam. High expansion foam, the aim is to snuff out the fire by filling the spaces with foam. Once filled the fires will be extinguished, this is nothing like a building or structural fire. The beauty of hi-ex is that fire crews can move around in bunkers and SCBA. If you need to clear a space of foam, a powder extinguisher will remove it. The safe way to fight this is fill it with hi-ex and wait. With modern IR cameras you can see whats happening. This has got me angry, what a waste of life, there was nobody in need of rescue. Not one fire fighter should have been placed at risk. Without hi-ex foam, this was a surround and drown but the ship's systems were operational so it shouldn't be an issue. NO FIREFIGHTER SHOULD HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES ON THIS FIRE.

[@wgowshipping]

I talk about this in my newest video.

[@The_Modeling_Underdog]

Grimaldi's at it again, apparently. Never apologize, Sal. You know your stuff. That company letter read as self-clearing from any wrongdoings and is standard corp bollockery. We'll have to wait for the NTSB to publish the results on their investigation. Two firefighters dead in such conditions, where no crew was at risk is two too many. Thanks for the in-depth video. Cheers.

[@kathym6603]

How clearly I recall your videos on the Bonhomme Richard. It is sad those in charge of the Newark fire dept weren't watching.

[@jamieo8653]

Sal, thank you for your insight regarding this tragic incident. You are 100% correct regarding education and training. As you mentioned many times, who knows s what was in those used cars! Thoughts and prayers to the families of the fallen Jake’s.🇺🇸

[@PlanetFrosty]

Great job Sal explaining shipboard fires. My condolences to the firefighter families and colleagues.🎉

[@46bovine]

Thanks, Sal, a great video. My condolences to the families of the two fallen fire fighters.

[@BW12149]

I served as a firefighter for 48 years, military, civilian paid and volunteer retiring in 2017. I watched a video recently about these vehicle carrying cargo ships. Watching the loading/unloading and how the vehicles are crammed in, movable decks and chains tying everything down. My thought when I watched that show, is what happens if you get a car fire onboard? It looked deadly, even with all the lights on, cargo doors and hatches open where you could see everything. When I first saw this fire on KZbin, it reminded me of the program I had watched. It wasn’t a surprise to me that firefighters were killed. What surprised me was it was only two! That’s a floating death trap. The vehicle cargo ship that rolled over at that port in Georgia had to be cut apart. Watching what that looked like was horrifying. I felt bad for the Newark fire chief, as he understood what went wrong, and knew it was lack of knowledge and training on shipboard fires. I fully agree with your assessment that they should’ve not treated this like a land based structure fire, and did a better size up, not put people in harms way for no good reason, and set up high flow monitors to surround and drown. My early years in the fire service I recall one of my chief’s telling me something I lived by my whole career. There are times when trying to go into a structure fire, you better determine how high the chance is of getting back out, that you look for ways to get out, and if fire is coming out of every window and door, there’s nothing in there you can save, so don’t risk your life on something that’s already gone. I recall a house fire at night that upon arrival it was totally involved. That Chief pulled me aside and said “ look…do you think anyone that might be inside can be saved? That’s what I’m trying to teach you…” As I “ aged” in the fire service and would participate in training new people, especially after they got out of the academy and into a rookie position in a company, they would be eager beavers to have a working house fire. I would tell them to slow down, pay attention and never wish for a fire of any kind. Anyone who has seen the devastation that a house fire causes, and how despondent the families are from losing everything, it’s not something to wish for, or lose a firefighter over. I feel bad for Newark fire department. I hope there will be some consolation in that this loss will push the chiefs to make sure shipboard fire fighting training is enhanced and done on a regular basis from now on.

[@KoteKarta]

Thanks! Very informative.

[@poowg2657]

I am reminded of a line uttered by Clint Eastwood: "A man's got to know his limitations". Sometimes good intentions lead to bad decisions. Incredibly informative video, thank you sir.

[@nomex1996]

I saw a report today that they had carried their 2.5" hose onto the ship but there were no connections that fit. They had to use the one inch hose lines onboard.

[@johndecamp191]

Excellent job you hit the nail on the head what a disaster my heart heart goes out to all involved. I had a paramedic instructor tell me once “ It’s not your emergency stay calm and prevail.” I lived my career as a BC off that and it never failed me. And may God Bless all.

[@TheDrivingFool]

Did my basic and advanced fire fighting on a liberty ship converted into a training facility. It taught me the worst thing on a vessel is fire. During my undergrad, I wrote a paper on the Forrestal, which warned me a lot about fires aboard ships. Now the first thing I do when I board any vessel: check for the fire plan, and the EDG in auto.

[@festungkurland9804]

That is horrible, we almost lost people in the same situation here in Jacksonville FL, I cannot believe other firefighters were not paying attention to the dangerous trap ships like this are.

[@HoboEAT]

The term "unique skill" is the correct term. I spent 30+ years with water under my feet. A fire on board is something you had better know what you are doing.

[@pas42hfd]

As a 26 year veteran of the fire service with a paid fire department with absolutely no experience with ship board fires and I never will...excellent presentation and information. Thank you

[@paulshelley8132]

Thanks!

[@kmp20748]

Very precise and easy to follow. Adds to the sadness of losing 2 brave people. Hopefully this info benefits others, especially firefighters who may come across this video. THANK YOU!

[@kenlee5376]

I forwarded this to my son-in-law who is a Captain with the Tucson Fire Department. He is 22 year vet and is currently working as a Fire Investigator. He also is active in the pipes and drums core and every year attends the Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial in Colorado Springs. I’ll be interested in his reaction to your video. I was a volunteer firefighter years ago so this hits home for me too. Your perspective and knowledge are priceless. Thanks Ken

[@pat36a]

Not to many ships in Tucson...... Just teasing..

[@ridersonly..8041]

Hi Sal! Being a ship surveyor the last 8 years I am well aware of the dangers this ship type hides. Being also Greek, I will anticipate to see how a US port authority will deal with the incident and if finally will reach to the real causes and mishappenings or deficiencies that led to the disaster and make the reaponsible ones pay the bill… to tel you the truth, here in Greece nothing really happened after a similar disaster with a vessel of this company some time ago. My deepest condolences to the families and friends of the lost firemen and thank you for the very informative video.

[@robertmccracken72]

Prayers for the family of the fallen Firemen. Thank you for all you do!

[@benshelton43]

Your delivery is so good. Knowledge base immense. Very, very informative. Thx for what u do. B

[@wgowshipping]

I appreciate that!

[@CaptDowd]

Sailed for 30, Master for 20, mainly on cableships. Every port I was stationed in, Baltimore, .Honolulu, Seattle, and Portland I always invited the local and marine units to train aboard. We all trained alongside them and it made a difference for both of us.

[@battalion1consultants24]

Great video. So many puzzle pieces to put together but we owe it to those who lost their lives, the injured, and all the crews impacted by the the operations (on and off the water). Although there will be tons of blame and finger pointing - we would love to see real changes to keep folks safe! Great work Sir - we appreciate you!

[@timmitchell3017]

I worked for a truck escort company bringing in non twic holders onto Blount island in Jacksonville.i was there when the car hauler ship burned for 2-4 days, I think it was a grimaldi ship also. Another job I had was to disconnect battery cables from wrecked cars. We only had one area to do, I know there were cars with fuel in them going on from other areas of the island that were untouched. We had 2 fire boats hosing the hull round the clock for almost a week, til the fire was out, worried about the hull cracking I think. I hear ya Sal, I think we had some injuried fighters but they got out before the fire got away. Lagos, Nigeria, the biggest junkyard in the world.

[@robertplunkett4737]

Excellent descriptive, explanations, teaching, understanding statements about fire, Liked especially the differences of fire explained as differences between land fire and ship fire. Illustrations texts, photos good - helpful - understanding the burning fire approach caution procedure. Thank you well done and this one learned.

[@kyleecarlson9912]

1200 little fire bombs of gas and air space, I had not thought about that before. Thanks Sal, heart goes out to firefighters 🚒 families.

[@DonaldMcKay3768]

Sal apologizes for running long in this video, but I just wanted to say it kept me glued to the screen for the whole time and it flew by very fast. It provided clear explanations for why a shipboard fire is so deadly, and together with the photos, the cars being packed in was both cited and demonstrated. It's obviously something he's thought about a lot and knows backwards and forwards. A very authoritative video, maybe his best I've seen so far.

[@gailmcn]

running long, Sal? No, not nearly long enough!

[@DashPar]

Great video Sal! Prayers for the families and firefighters - Jeremiah 17:14 - Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.

[@joecody195]

Good video Sal, I agree with every word you said. I can't believe with the size of the port in Newark that the FD doesn't train .RIP Brothers.

[@kevinlawson895]

Sal, I am a land based firefighter, I also agree with you about how different ship board fires are. I am currently reviewing NFPA 1005. Keep u the good work.

[@ritaloy8338]

Sal, I, as a US Navy Veteran, I was trained in and was part of a Fire Party. Fighting a Fire on board a sacrhip is a Confined Space Fire. When we trained for fighting a fire, we removed anything that was flammable from ajoining spaces. We would also cool any compartment surounding the burning compartment water to prevent the spread of fire we could access. Not being trained for shipboard firefighting and going to fight a shipboard fire is asking for a death sentence to those fighting that fire.

[@J3AD]

prayers to all those affected, and great job explaining things.

[@nmccw3245]

Thanks for your expertise on this Sal. Hearing the truth is a breath of fresh air.

[@ryanspellman3873]

Because Port Authority of New York and New Jersey which has a police and fire operation of their own controls and operates the port. Port Authority Police Department initially also created issues with giving entry to Newark FD to respond while knowing they couldn’t themselves manage it.

[@luisf4077]

Outstanding review of this incident! Thank you for breaking this down for us. I saw the same interview with Newark’s hierarchy and I caught that too on the lack of training. I grew up in Newark and have several friends who are firefighters there. I joined the fire service and completed 20 years as an Air Force firefighter and now I’m a firefighter at a major north Texas airport. I’m very well versed in Structural and ARFF, but marine firefighting is an entire different animal. Fortunately my friends are all safe after calling them as most were not on duty that night by God’s grace . They are all reeling in grief and we are all extending prayers to our brothers/sisters at NFD, their immediate families, and friends. Hopefully the city will learn from this and the after action reports. This should shift training to incorporate marine firefighting, and possibly through federal, state, and private grants, establish a marine division in Newark. This port is huge and it shocks me that they don’t have a fire station at the port with specialty firefighters and a couple of fire boats? Unfortunately in many places, we have to take loss of life before taking a proactive approach to do the right thing in keeping our first responders safe. Funding is always of concern and of course people accept the risks with mindsets that “this will never happen here or the chances are low in seeing something like this we’re not going to train or invest in this”. Once again we’ve witnessed an unnecessary tragic event. Thank you again and stay safe brother.

[@RalphCunha]

Thanks so much Sal, my cousin died in that fire, he was Augie Acabou. I worked That Grimaldi Line for 13 years and I agree with you, it was a death trap

[@wgowshipping]

Ralph...I am so sorry for your loss.

[@RalphCunha]

@@wgowshipping thank you, I just found your channel and I’m a sub for life. Thank you again for saying it like it is. You truly know what your talking about, and I seriously respect you for that.

[@RalphCunha]

@@wgowshipping thank you

[@tee19855]

sorry for your loss

[@RalphCunha]

@@tee19855 thank you

[@wx7slc]

Well stated. Words are inadequate in this instance. My heartfelt condolences to the families in their grief and also to their fire service family.

[@praack4563]

The comment made in the press conference was that the second alarm brought in mutual aid- that tends to indicate that Newark was trying to save money by not calling a second alarm "unless it is necessary" sadly the call came much too late.

[@williamardenjr116]

Hey shipmate! AM2(AW) here. Always gotta send some love to my brothers. I was actually on the washington in 2008 when she went up!

[@georgejr2640]

Great job Sal. It is so easy to loose focus of things we do not do much. You are right, we need to wake up.

[@DavidTheWatcher]

I like how at the end you said "it's your first take a day after the event." May be good info at the start for when people watch this later on as more info has come out. Thanks for your vids sal i really enjoy your channel

[@rosepark7103]

My fiancée is a Newark Firefighter & that was so tragic; imagine my fear every time he goes to work on his tour & it’s always an alarm go in off @ the airport & he fought a fire @ the port before…fire fighters put their lives on the line every time they put their gear on. They were not prepared properly for this fire & it cost two families their loved ones…a true tragedy it’s beyond sad. There needs to be a full investigation because this was not a structural fire.

[@cpt.geechie8609]

Sal you hit it out the park once again!

[@tinacatharinaeden2711]

Thank you for this Dr. Sal. I hope changes will be made. My condoleces to the families of the fallen fire fighters and I hope the injured will fully recover.

[@louGriggs1944]

I certainly appreciate your concern, experience and insight into this. This is good information. Thank you.

[@MaydayAcademy]

Sal, thank you for the great background information on this tragic accident. Keep up the great work!

[@reopat14]

Excellent Coverage. This needs to be addressed today , not tomorrow. My deepest respect and condolences for the two Fire Fighters who lost their lives.

[@davekeefer2304]

A very well done video! As a volunteer firefighter and a special hazard fire protection system designer I have had some experience with marine fire systems and a little exposure to marine vessel fire protection. What is striking to me is the storage configuration of cars on this vessel is built to burn. Basically no horizontal or vertical fire breaks and the fact that cars are designed to shed water there is little chance that any suppression agent could be applied that would be effective. The most likely result will be is that it will burn until it runs out of fuel.

[@MarriedNGaming]

FDNY sent over Rescue 5, Squad 8 and Squad 8 2nd piece, TSU 2 and Marine 9.. Theyve been on scene helping since about 1am this morning. Also on Scene is Elizabeth, Bayonne, Jersey City, Newark, Paterson, UMDNJ, St Barnabas EMS, NJEMSTF, NJ UASI and USAR task force, and a bunch of Canteen and Rehab units from across north jersey.. Sure im missing a few

[@wgowshipping]

Firefighter II showed up at 5 AM.

[@MarriedNGaming]

@@wgowshipping Copy they mustve switched off this morning then.. I know Marine 9 was on scene for a few hours before returning to NYC

[@tedmoss]

Wow! this one got you going! I lived in East Orange, next to Newark in 1950 where my uncle Rudy was a fire chief and I was a firefighter in the USAF back in 1965. Sad to hear about the loss of the men.

[@pips98]

Thank you, Captain, for distinguishing the different Mariner Firefighters and Shore Firefighters. I'm retired firefighters from Boston,we have ports in Boston, including LNG farm, in Everest, MA. Boston has Mariner Firefighters train onboard live vessel if in dry dock Boston train with Coast Guard. The last I knew before retiring 2008.

[@Yogert8888]

Being so close to the airport I wonder if the department was under pressure to not affect airport operations with the fire.

[@F7XG450G550]

Nope, I won’t get into my job specifics, but this is not true. Newark fire department is frequently budget crunched with bad equipment and limited training compared to Jersey City or Elizabeth.

[@charlestuozzolo7283]

Very sad Sal. It seems that PANYNJ only has fire fighting capability for aircraft fires. Cant find any Marine Fire Support. Told my wife how hard shipboard fires can be. I remember DC school at the Philly Navy Yard and lots of fire training. RIP the brave fire fighters.

[@johnpappas2060]

Bless You've the nail on-the-head. MUST train as a department confronted by these fires. Thanks 😊

[@megaweld7018]

Thank You for your Very Direct Post ! You are correct to the utmost on your information ! I fought Fire in the Philadelphia Area as Pennsylvania State Fire Instructor & Firefighter in the Norristown Fire Department and also as Ship Yard Welder/ Emergency Response Technician Team Member at the Aker Philadelphia Shipyard / New Ship Construction . I can say that you are exactly right concerning the difference between Structural & Ship Vessel Fighting . My condolences to the Newark Fire Department and to the families of the Firefighters who died in this Fire . No doubt a tragedy that did not need to happen !