Firefighter killed in home fire

[MemphisE34a]

He very well may have been a great kid, but ya can't fix stupid.....

PC

Your statement is way out of line.

[Chief1C]

I agree that it's inappropriate to make comments like that.. But, anyone who has any expirence in firefighting knows that there is only one reason to risk our lives. When someone else is in danger. But, you don't go about it in a manner that you purposely put your life in danger. It happens, no fire is equal to any of the past. Every home is different, some people can't build, others left things out.. and as a result, we suffer.

However, when no life is in danger, no life should be risked. Heavy smoke, heavy fire, no people inside. You make an aggressive, exterior attack. You don't risk life, to save property. That has been one of the golden rules of the fire service for hundreds of years. Some fires, you can go in, knock down and that's that. Some you go in, and things go wrong. But if the place his rockin', you don't go a knockin'.. "Surround and Drown".

The first thing we ask when we arrive at a structure fire.. Is everyone out? Where are they? Are they all accounted for.. If we can't get that answered, we'll do our best to try and get a search going... or rescue. If you have people laying inside the front door, by all means, go in and get them. But there is no reason on gawd's green earth to go in, alone, with out a tool, flashlight, buddy or handline.. when nobody is inside, and there is a heavy fire condition.

Sometimes, you don't get to learn from your mistakes, and it's an awful shame, but hopefully others will learn.

[defib_wizard]

I agree the remark is crass and harsh but some of us are that way. This is a waste of a young life that ended by doing something stupid. Entry into a structure on fire alone is stupid and wrong. He payed for his mistake, the only good news is nobody else was injured during a rescue attempt. As a fire Lt I can't even imagine the thing you would say to a firefighter under your command if this occurred and the firefighter was ok or had minor injuries. I bet the people on the international space station would hear you! I am also willing to bet you would use the word stupid in your rump-chewing.

This is a tragedy but please Lt don't take everything to heart.

my condolences to his family both at home and on duty.

[MemphisE34a]

But, anyone who has any expirence in firefighting knows that there is only one reason to risk our lives. When someone else is in danger. But, you don't go about it in a manner that you purposely put your life in danger.....

.......The first thing we ask when we arrive at a structure fire.. Is everyone out? Where are they? Are they all accounted for.. If we can't get that answered, we'll do our best to try and get a search going... or rescue. If you have people laying inside the front door, by all means, go in and get them. But there is no reason on gawd's green earth to go in, alone, with out a tool, flashlight, buddy or handline.. when nobody is inside, and there is a heavy fire condition.

From the original article:

Sometimes, you don't get to learn from your mistakes, and it's an awful shame, but hopefully others will learn.

Absolutely agreed!

[firedoc5]

He may have been a little too aggressive, or he might have heard what he thought was someone, who knows why he went in when he did. But he was NOT stupid.

I'm guilty of going in by myself for about 5-10 feet while waiting on my partner, just to get a "first impression". But I always radioed the Capt. and/or the main pumper that I was doing so.

[Chief1C]

I doubt he went in because he was "stupid."

I hope you're not insinuating that I meant that.. Because I was just talking about what we do in general.. Really not concerning this fire at all.

The way we operate, with accountability being one of our strong points, because we want everyone that responded, to also return with us, alive and healthy.. If one of our crew members arrived, I assume POV, sans apparatus, and went in to a working fire with out anyone knowing. IF being the key word, if he survived. If not too badly injured, there's a good chance he'd either get kicked out, black balled and thrown to the curb; or punched in the face. I can't express in words, how angry (for his family and our vascular system) that I would be if someone put their life in such danger, that the outcome would have a 99% fatality rate; when technology and education would have helped him survive. I just couldn't find words to express my anger, I'd probably hit them with something. Something hard.

[MemphisE34a]

I just couldn't find words to express my anger, I'd probably hit them with something. Something hard.

LOL! Understood. Thanks.

[Dustdevil]

I dunno. If he was never taught in two years not to go in without a line, without a partner, and without clearance from IC, then that would be ignorance, and the entire leadership of that department should be sacked for allowing him to go two years without proper training.

But if he was indeed taught the proper way to do things, and then chose to do it his way anyhow, I'm going to have to agree with the stupidity label.

Sugar coating things is exactly the reason why these lessons never seem to get learned, and consequently get repeated year after year after year.

Tradition: Killing firefighters since the 18th Century.

[PCB]

Excuse me for mot being PC in my statement, The young man used very poor judgment. Bull, it was a stupid move! Granted, I was not there, but from the reports I have read on this he did not go in 5 or 10 feet to access the situation. He went in alone, and without a charged line or RIT team, to do a search for an occupant that was already accounted for. Take this to another level, had he blown a red light on the way to the scene and killed someone in another vehicle, that would also be stupid. Just because he took his own life, just because he was young, just because he left a grieving family doesn't make it any smarter. Needlessly becoming a victim is stupid.

PC

[firedoc5]

Making a mistake does not equal being stupid.